Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the debate in Westminster Hall on Children's Health: Access to Milk of 28 March 2017, what steps her Department is taking to (a) revise the school food standards to align them with the intent behind and structure of the soft drinks industry levy and (b) encourage more schools to adhere to those standards.

The Government encourages all schools to promote healthy eating and provide nutritious and tasty food and drink. The new School Food Standards came into force from January 2015 and have been widely welcomed.

The childhood obesity plan, published in August 2016, mentions that we will update the School Food Standards in light of refreshed government dietary recommendations. We are currently reflecting on the best course of action and further announcements will be made in due course.

We are confident that schools endeavour to provide a healthy food service whether or not they are required to adhere to the School Food Standards. Over 1400 academies are voluntarily following the standards and we encourage the remaining schools to commit to the standards.