To ask the Minister of Health what consideration he has given to commissioning updated research into food in schools.

As part of the jointly led Food in Schools programme, the Public Health Agency is a member of the GENIUS School Food Network (www.geniusschoolfoodnetwork.com) which focuses on generating excellent nutrition in schools. The GENIUS network is funded by the UK Prevention Research Partnership to explore opportunities for intervention and innovation in the UK School Food System. Membership includes academic researchers active in school food research across a range of disciplines, alongside major non-academic stakeholders in school food, as well as local government, policy development and public health bodies.

The GENIUS network has a series of research priorities for school, including:

What is the value to pupils’ health and well-being of a Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) vs means tested Free School Meals (FSM) policies, which may have different criteria for eligibility?

How to improve uptake of FSM for those who are eligible?

What are the facilitators and challenges for decision- makers to engage with and prioritise school food?

How can school food systems deliver school meals to pupils while keeping within the school food standards, procurement requirements and budgets?

How to implement changes to FSM policies (e.g. extended or UFSM) to achieve optimal participation and benefits?

How do school food policies and interventions impact on and address inequalities in pupils from different sub-groups?

How can policies create a positive food culture and affect pupils’ relationships with food?

How to overcome the challenges that schools have in implementing an optimal eating environment?

What innovative approaches can be used help drive uptake of healthy food consumption in schools?

What is the impact of food consumed at school on pupils and to what extend can it reduce inequalities?