Massive decline in take-up since healthy measures introduced

According to the BBC Today programme, the number of secondary school pupils who eat school dinners has dropped by an enormous 250,000 in just two years.

The figures were identified by the Liberal Democrats who say that since healthy eating menus were introduced in secondary schools, pupils have been voting with their feet with 17% opting out over the past 24 months.

The Liberal Democrats' schools spokesman David Laws said: ' These figures show that the English school meals service is in meltdown. Instead of boosting the number of children taking up healthy school meals, Government policy has contributed to an implosion of the service.'

The Schools minister Lord Adonis denied the claim saying: 'When you are withdrawing the fizzy drinks, the crisps, the sweets, the chocolate bars, then clearly there is going to be an immediate transitional issue.'

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