First Member-Proposed Assembly Measure laid.
Jenny Randerson AM will today (Friday March 14th) table the first Proposed Assembly Measure by a Member who is not a member of the Government. Ms Randerson won a ballot of AMs in June 2007 and subsequently gained the Assembly’s agreement on 19 September 2007 to allow her to introduce a Measure.
Ms Randerson was then given 6 months to prepare her Measure, culminating in its introduction today.
The proposed legislation will place a duty on schools and local education authorities to promote healthy eating in schools in Wales. Governing bodies will also be required to include healthy eating in their annual report, and Ministers will have to report annually on progress on nutrition in schools and on the improving standards. The Measure will also impose a duty on schools and local education authorities to encourage the take up of school meals generally and to ensure that the highest percentage possible of those eligible for free school meals do eat them.
A Measure is a piece of law made by the Assembly. It has similar effect to an Act of Parliament. The Assembly is able to pass Measures on any ‘matter’ listed in Schedule 5 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 which currently includes areas such as education and training, health and local government.
Jenny Randerson AM said: “I am delighted that healthy meals for our children has moved a step closer today. I think there is a general acceptance among parents that when their children go off to school, they should be provided with food that is healthy, nutritious and safe.
“I am delighted that I have had the opportunity to bring such an important set of proposals forward under the Assembly’s new powers. I am very confident that this will signal an upsurge in the way the Assembly can make a difference to people’s lives.”
More information about the legislative process can be found in the National Assembly’s Media Information Pack: