What studies have been undertaken on the nutritional content of school meals.

In 1996, the Scottish Diet Action Plan Eating for Health made a number of recommendations and included nutritional guidelines targeted primarily at pre-school and school age children. Education authorities and schools have been implementing these recommendations to varying degrees. In February 1999 the Her Majesty's Inspectorate report Drug and Nutritional Education identified good practice and areas where action was needed. In addition, the Scottish Consumer Council and the Health Education Board for Scotland jointly published their research School Meals Service in Scotland, on 19 November which covers a number of issues. The Food in Schools Conference which was held in May 2001, and was supported jointly by the Scottish Executive, the Food Standards Agency, the Scottish Consumer Council and the Health Education Board for Scotland also reported on 19 November. The main outcome from the conference was agreement on the need for a national strategy for school meals to include standards for nutritional content and dining facilities within a framework which eliminates the stigma associated with free school meals. To take this agenda forward I recently announced, together with the Ministers for Health and Community Care and Social Justice, the establishment of an expert panel to make recommendations for wide ranging improvements in the delivery of school meals. Chaired by a Director of Education, the panel's remit will be provide Scottish ministers with fully costed recommendations, and an implementation and monitoring strategy to:Establish standards for the nutritional content of school mealsEliminate the stigma attached to free school meals and improve take upImprove the presentation of school mealsThe expert panel will include representatives from a wide range of sectors and stakeholders and it will operate in a consultative and participatory manner to ensure that the views of key groups such as parents, children and young people are taken into account. The panel is expected to report in the autumn of 2002.