THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND CHURCH AND SOCIETY COUNCIL EAGLAIS NA H-ALBA 121 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4YN. Tel: 0131 225 5722 Fax: 0131 240 2239 Email: churchandsociety@cofscotland.org.uk Web: www.churchofscotland.org.uk OFFICIAL RESPONSE SUBJECT: Improving Health and Nutrition of Scotland’s Children AUTHOR: Church and Society Council REQUESTED BY: Scottish Executive REFERENCE: OR/005/2006 DATE: 7 July 2006 The Church of Scotland, through its Church and Society Council, welcomes the opportunity to respond to the proposals for a Schools (Nutrition and Health Promotion) (Scotland) Bill. In general, we would welcome the proposals, while suggesting that in some areas they do not go far enough. CONSULTATION QUESTIONS 1. Do you agree that local authorities should be under a duty to ensure that food and drinks which they provide in their schools, including nurseries, meet defined nutrient standards? Yes Comment : While we note the proposal (s36 of the consultation paper) to establish a short-life expert working group to set nutrient standards, we believe that these standards should be clearly independent of government (eg those devised by the Caroline Walker Trust). 2. Where children are attending independent schools, and where the provision of food and drinks are arranged or funded, by a local authority, should the food and drinks meet defined nutrient standards? Yes 3. Should local authorities be under a duty to promote uptake of school meals in their schools, including free school meals? Yes Comment : (a) It is a matter of serious concern that only some 67% of those entitled to free school meals appear to take them (s40), undermining the objectives of "Hungry for Success" and of the current proposals. It is also disappointing to see that there are considerable variations across local authorities, suggesting significant room for improvement. (b) We are concerned that the sections of the consultation paper which deal with funding (esp s51-54) do not seem to offer any increased funding for this, which seems to undermine the expressed aim. In particular, the comment in s52 that "the Executive is currently supporting the largest ever investment in school buildings and that investment will help accommodate any extra demands arising from these measures" appears to contradict feedback from schools that new schools have significantly less shared space for meals and other shared activities. Indeed s55 seems to assume that a significant increase in uptake would mean additional capital investment. 4. Should local authorities be under a duty to ensure that those taking free school meals can do so anonymously, as far as is practicable? Yes Comment : Within the current legislation, it is disturbing that only 33% of mainstream schools have made provision for an anonymised system (s41); we believe that this needs to be a matter of greater urgency than is conveyed by "as far as is practicable". However, we remain convinced that the only long term solution here lies in free school meals for all local authority school pupils. 5. Should local authorities have the power to provide children in local authority schools with free drinks, fruit, vegetables, bread or cereal based snacks, which meet defined nutrient standards? Yes Comment : This power is likely to be ineffective without proper funding. 6. Should there be a duty on Scottish Ministers and local authorities to endeavour to ensure that all local authority schools are health promoting schools? Yes Comment : Again, achieving the aim in practice depends on adequate funding. 7. Any other comments? (add separately if required) We welcome the commitment (s56) for Ministers to consider options for extending free school meal provision, but (as indicated above) believe that universal provision is the only way to address these issues effectively. The costing for universal provision offered in s55 appears to assume (unrealistically) that the current proposals would result in no increased expenditure, while universal provision would result in 100% take-up. RESPONDENT INFORMATION FORM: A CONSULTATION ON THE SCHOOLS (NUTRITION AND HEALTH PROMOTION) (SCOTLAND) BILL Name: David Sinclair Postal Address: Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4YN. 1. Are you responding: (please tick one box) (a) as an individual? go to Q2a/b and then Q4 NO (b) on behalf of a group/organisation? go to Q3 and then Q4 YES ON BEHALF OF GROUPS OR ORGANISATIONS: 3. The name and address of your organisation will be made available to the public (in the Scottish Executive library and/or on the Scottish Executive website). Are you also content for your response to be made available? Yes SHARING RESPONSES/FUTURE ENGAGEMENT 4. We will share your response internally with other Scottish Executive policy teams who may be addressing the issues you discuss. They may wish to contact you again in the future, but we require your permission to do so. Are you content for the Scottish Executive to contact you again in the future in relation to this consultation response? Yes