Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the reasons for administering the Nursery Milk Scheme to children only until their fifth birthday rather than until the end of the academic year in which that birthday falls.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Nursery Milk Scheme allows early years childcare settings such as childminders and nurseries to reclaim the cost of providing one-third of a pint of milk to children under five years old who attend their childcare setting for at least two hours per day. Schools are also allowed to claim under this scheme in respect of pupils under the age of five years old. There are no current plans to extend the Nursery Milk Scheme to cover other school pupils.
The School Food Standards require lower-fat or lactose free milk to be available in all schools. From the age of five years old onwards, pupils eligible for benefits-based free school meals are eligible for free school milk. In addition, the school milk subsidy scheme subsidises the cost of milk and certain milk products for children in primary and secondary schools including over fives. This means that participating schools can sell the products in schools at a lower price. More information on this scheme is available on GOV.UK in an online-only format.
Asked by: Lord Hampton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential (1) social, and (2) economic, benefits of expanding the School Milk Subsidy Scheme to provide a free one third of a pint portion of milk to all primary school age children each day attending school.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Milk is an excellent food for children’s growth and development. This is why, as part of the School Food Standards, schools are already required to ensure milk is available to all pupils who want it during school hours. The National School Milk Subsidy Scheme can be used by primary schools to reduce the cost of milk for all their pupils.
Thanks to Universal Infant Free School Meals, pupils under seven years old are already eligible for free milk when it is offered as part of their school lunch. Older pupils entitled to benefits related free school meals are also eligible for free milk when made available during the school day. This is in addition to the free milk provided for children under five-years-old thanks to the Nursery Milk Scheme.
As with free school meals, the department believes it is important to support those most in need and to ensure policy remains affordable and deliverable for schools. The department does not have plans to change the current eligibility conditions for the scheme.
Written Evidence May. 22 2024
Inquiry: Food, Diet and ObesityFound: FDO0031 - Food, Diet and Obesity The School and Nursery Milk Alliance (SNMA) Written Evidence
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of changing the provision of the Nursery Milk Scheme to finish at the end of the reception academic year rather than when individual children reach the age of five.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Nursery Milk Scheme allows early years childcare settings, such as childminders and nurseries, to reclaim the cost of providing one-third of a pint of milk to children under five years old, who attend their childcare setting for at least two hours per day. Schools are also allowed to claim under this scheme, in respect of pupils under the age of five years old. There are no current plans to extend the scheme to cover other school pupils.
The School Food Standards require lower-fat or lactose free milk to be available in all schools. From the age of five years old onwards, pupils eligible for benefits-based free school meals are also eligible for free school milk. In addition, the school milk subsidy scheme subsidises the cost of milk and certain milk products for children in primary and secondary schools, including over five-year-olds. This means that participating schools can sell the products in schools at a lower price. More information on this scheme is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-milk-subsidy-scheme
Mentions:
1: Lord Hampton (XB - Excepted Hereditary) However, the research from Northumbria University has found that a quarter-pint of milk a day has an - Speech Link
2: Baroness Barran (Con - Life peer) We know that milk is, as the noble Lord says, excellent for children’s growth and development. - Speech Link
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which schools in Christchurch constituency are registered for the school milk subsidy scheme.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The School Milk scheme offers a financial contribution to the cost of providing certain milk products to schoolchildren across the UK. The majority of applications to the scheme are made by local authorities, specialist companies and bodies who register and claim on their behalf of individual schools. No central information on participating schools is therefore held centrally to provide a breakdown to the level of individual parliamentary constituencies.
Mentions:
1: Emma Lewell-Buck (Lab - South Shields) This is to help with the ever-increasing costs of fruit and vegetables, milk, formula milk and vitamins - Speech Link
2: Andrew Western (Lab - Stretford and Urmston) That pressure has been especially acute in the price of milk formula.My hon. - Speech Link
3: Sarah Dyke (LD - Somerton and Frome) By the time children start school, one in five is living with obesity. - Speech Link
4: Helen Whately (Con - Faversham and Mid Kent) We support childcare providers with the cost of milk through the nursery milk scheme. - Speech Link
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote the benefits of drinking milk to children and young people.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Milk and dairy products make a valuable contribution to the nutrient content of the diet, providing protein and B vitamins for example. They are also an important source of calcium, which is especially important for children to help build healthy bones and teeth. In the United Kingdom, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for around the first six months of a baby’s life with continued breastfeeding throughout the first year. Following this, the Government encourages the population to consume some lower fat milk and dairy products as part of a healthy, balanced diet. This is reflected in the UK’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide, a copy of which is attached.
The Healthier Families and Start4Life websites both include information in an online-only format to parents of young and primary school aged children on the consumption of lower fat, unsweetened milk as part of a healthy balanced diet.
The Eatwell Guide principles, including consumption of milk and dairy products, underpin the School Food Standards and Public Health England’s example menus and guidance for early years settings, available on GOV.UK in an online-only format.
Mentions:
1: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Con - Life peer) The children of Canada have been fed on whole milk for many years, thousands and thousands of them. - Speech Link
2: Lord Evans of Rainow (Con - Life peer) The Government recognise that milk and dairy products make a valuable contribution to a healthy, balanced - Speech Link
3: Lord Evans of Rainow (Con - Life peer) The school food standards ensure that children have healthy food and drink options across the school - Speech Link
4: Lord Evans of Rainow (Con - Life peer) children, 22%, leave primary school living with obesity. - Speech Link
Written Evidence May. 23 2024
Inquiry: Food, Diet and ObesityFound: Metabolic effects of milk fatty acids: A literature review.