Jamie Oliver has slated the Government’s efforts to improve the service

Chef Jamie Oliver has slated the Government’s latest efforts to improve school meals.

Speaking at the Bafta awards on Sunday night, the celebrity chef criticised the revolving door at the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

According to a report in the Mirror, Oliver said: “The day after I met Charles Clarke [former Education Secretary] he got moved on. Then I got to know Ruth Kelly and she’s moved on. There’s always the same bloody excuse, which is ‘I’ve just started’.”

Oliver added: “They promised me the extra £280m for school dinners. Now my job is to make sure the money is well spent and they give enough.”

His comments come after his recent call to treble the amount given to schools. At a school meals conference in March the campaigning chef also urged the Government to establish a 10-15 year plan to improve school food.

A DfES spokesman said: “This year we have paid £60m to schools and local education authorities to help deliver healthier meals. We will not take our foot off the accelerator.”

Jamie’s School Dinners picked up the Bafta for best factual programme at the awards.

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By Tom Bill

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