Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that SEND reforms under development (a) take account of the needs of children with (i) coeliac disease and (ii) other medical conditions and (b) ensure that pupils with dietary requirements are supported in school.

The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the School Food Standards. Headteachers, governors, and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies that take into account local circumstances and pupil needs.

Additionally, Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on governing bodies of maintained schools, proprietors of academies and management committees of pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils at their school with medical conditions, which includes coeliac disease and other food-related conditions. Schools must therefore take appropriate action in supporting such pupils to access food provision.

In doing so, schools must have regard to the 'Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school' statutory guidance issued by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.