Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current school food standards in (a) promoting good health and (b) tackling obesity, malnutrition and other diet-related conditions among school pupils.

The government encourages all schools to promote healthy eating and to provide tasty and nutritious food and drink. Compliance with the School Food Standards (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1603/contents/made) is mandatory for all maintained schools. We also expect all academies and free schools to comply with the standards and, since 2014, we have made this an explicit requirement in their funding agreements.

The School Food Standards came in to force from January 2015 and have been widely welcomed. As new advice on nutrition and sugar consumption has since been published, the Department for Education, supported by Public Health England, will update the School Food Standards. The update, which will be comprehensive on reducing sugar consumption, will be coupled with detailed guidance to caterers and schools so they are well prepared to adapt to the changes.

Healthy eating is also covered in health education that all schools will have to teach from this year, with voluntary teaching starting from last year. By the end of primary school, pupils should know what constitutes a healthy diet (including understanding calories and other nutritional content) and the principles of planning and preparing a range of healthy meals. They should also know the characteristics of a poor diet and risks associated with unhealthy eating (including, for example, obesity and tooth decay) and other eating or drinking habits (for example, the impact of alcohol on diet or health). By the end of secondary school, pupils should know how to maintain healthy eating and the links between a poor diet and health risks.