Written question asked by Michael McCann (Labour) on Wednesday, 11 March 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 16 March 2015. It was answered by George Eustice (Conservative) on Monday, 16 March 2015 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

School Milk

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions officials in her Department have had with stakeholders on development of a national strategy for implementation of the European School Milk Scheme.

Answer: The development of a national strategy to implement the existing, long-established EU School Milk Scheme is not expected to involve substantive changes of policy or of practice. On this basis, a formal consultation is not envisaged. However, Defra officials are engaging with a range of stakeholders in the interests of transparency and to set out our approach. The EU Commission has proposed a more substantial overhaul of the scheme which, if agreed, would take effect from 2016 onwards. The Department intends to consult on this wider process although no timescale has yet been established.

Secondary information