13. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that school meals are of the highest quality and that the uptake of these is maximised. (S5O-02219)

School meals are healthier and more popular than they have ever been. We are now seeing uptake of more than 50 million school meals each year. Last week, I launched a consultation on recommendations to further improve the school food regulations, at the new Broomlands primary school in Kelso. That is an excellent example of a school that is working to promote healthy eating habits in pupils.

Of course, the recent report would argue that school meals are not of the highest quality. Can I help the Cabinet secretary in relation to his consultation? What we are looking to do here is to procure food locally, prepare it on site and allow pupils input to the menu to apply their learning. When will we stop having consultations on consultations and actually implement the obvious? Looking at the children eating—

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

I must have brief questions so that I can let other members in. Thank you.

First, the Government has had regulations about school meals and their nutritional standards in place since 2008. There is a statutory footing to the guidance, so we expect it to be followed in individual circumstances.

Secondly, it is desirable for food to be prepared on site. In the example that I cited, the food was being prepared at Broomlands primary school that day by members of staff and presented very positively to young people.

Thirdly, the consultation that I have just launched is not about fundamentally reviewing the standards, because they are judged by the group that has just undertaken the technical work on my behalf to be of the highest level. They are applying some further changes in relation to the reduction of sugar intake and ensuring that there is a greater presence of fruit and vegetables within the menus that are available to young people.

Finally, on Mr Whittle’s point about the engagement and involvement of young people, I would heartily encourage that. It is one of the many ways in which young people must have their voices heard in our education system. Any school, I think, will be serving its pupils very well by engaging them in discussions about the quality of school meals and their aspirations for the type of food that they want to consume.