AN SNP plan to serve up free daily fruit to all primary school pupils has been condemned as “food fascism” by the Tories. The policy was unveiled on Monday as part of a health manifesto based on the premise that “prevention is better than cure”.
Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP’s health spokesperson, said the move, costing an estimated pound;4 million a year, would spread the practice of the few education authorities which already provide fruit for pupils and establish “a culture of healthy eating”.
Theparty is also pledged to introduce minimum nutritional standards. But Brian Monteith, the Tories’ education spokesman, said he was disturbed by reports that the SNP wanted to ban pies, chips and pizzas.
“It is only when these items are on the menu that children will actually use a school canteen,” Mr Monteith said. “This is the only encouragement we have to get children to eat school dinners and actually have a captive audience so that you can coax them towards healthy alternatives.”
