Schools caterers in Scotland are being given £63.5m to help them improve the nutritional standards of school meals.

The Scottish government today announced a package of improvements to school meals, backed up with the additional funding.

The measures come from recommendations made by an expert panel on school meals in the Hungry for Success report, published today.

The new measures include:

• Free fruit for pupils in the first two years of primary school
• New nutrient standards for school meals
• Larger portions of more nutritious food at no further cost to parents
• Fresh, chilled drinking water available free in school dining rooms
• Raising the awareness of the entitlement to free school meals and reducing the stigma attached to them through increasing anonymity
• Improving the atmosphere and ambience of school dining facilities

Education minister Cathy Jamieson, said: “The new measures will help local authorities and caterers serve up healthier meals in settings that are appealing to children and young people.

“Pupils can expect to have a greater say about services and to see improvements such as better facilities in dining halls, fewer queues, more choice and generous portions of good-quality food.”

Health minister Malcom Chisholm added: “Our nutrient standards for school meals are the first of their kind in the UK and form a key part of our campaign to improve the nation’s diet.

“Local authorities, schools and caterers will work in partnership to implement the standards in all primary and special schools by December 2006.”

The nutritional standards will only apply to publicly funded primary, secondary and specialist schools, but it is hoped that independent schools will also follow them.

by Samantha McClary