Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to issue guidance to schools and colleges on offering plant-based food and drink options to pupils.

The government’s School Food Standards regulates the food and drink provided at both lunchtime and at other times of the school day. Beyond this, we believe that head teachers, school governors and caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies, taking into account local circumstances and the needs of their pupils. In doing so, we expect schools to make reasonable adjustments for pupils with particular requirements, for example to reflect dietary and cultural needs.

The School Food Standards already contain sufficient flexibility to enable schools to provide a variety of plant-based food and drink options to pupils if there is a demand for them. School food policies work best when schools discuss them with parents and pupils, so that parents have the opportunity to raise pupils’ particular dietary needs.