Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether provision of milk as part of the free breakfast club scheme will substitute for current provision of free or subsidised mid-morning milk.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Milk is an excellent food for children’s growth and development, which is why the department includes milk within its healthy breakfast examples for the newly launched early adopter breakfast clubs.

The school food standards require lower fat or lactose reduced milk to be available to children who want it during school hours, which includes any time during a school session or a break between sessions. Section 512ZB (3) of the Education Act 1996 sets out the requirement that milk must be provided free of charge to pupils eligible for free school meals.

Any milk provided during breakfast clubs does not substitute for current provision of free or subsidised mid-morning milk, as breakfast clubs take place before the start of the school day.