Chamber and committees

There is no teaching qualification in the cooking of healthy food. All teachers in primary schools must have a Teaching Qualification and may be required to teach the full range of the primary school curriculum.

There is no teaching qualification in the cooking of healthy food. It is up to local authorities to ensure that they employ adequate numbers of teachers with the appropriate professional skills and knowledge necessary to enable them to undertake the teaching duties allocated to them. Professional skills and knowledge may be acquired during initial teacher education and through continuing professional development throughout a teacher''s career.

No. There is no teaching qualification in the cooking of healthy food. The statutory requirement relating to teacher employment is that local authorities shall employ teachers with the appropriate professional skills and knowledge necessary to enable them to undertake the teaching duties allocated to them.

The acquisition of knowledge and skills to enable young people to make healthy food choices which promote lifelong healthy eating habits is a core part of Curriculum for Excellence Health and Wellbeing experiences and outcomes.

The Scottish Cooking bus which visits primary and secondary schools throughout Scotland, providing on-board lessons which teach children how to cook simple healthy meals further enhances work being undertaken within schools. These sessions are specially tailored classes by qualified teachers, in a safe, well-equipped mobile kitchen. Design Dimension Education Trust operates the bus on the Scottish Government''s behalf.

There is no teaching qualification in the cooking of healthy food. Local authorities are required to employ teachers with the appropriate professional skills and knowledge necessary to enable them to undertake the teaching duties allocated to them.

According to the most recently published teacher census data, there are 1,025 teachers of home economics in secondary schools.

In September 2008 I launched the Healthy Eating in Schools guidance at the HM Inspectorate of Education healthy food in schools conference where the audience included local authority catering staff.

Officials consulted widely, including with local authority and school catering staff and their representatives, when drafting the guidance to get their views and to raise awareness. Copies of the guidance were subsequently sent to all Scottish schools and local authorities.

Officials regularly promote the Healthy Eating in Schools guidance to local authority and school catering staff and their representatives when speaking at conferences and seminars, at meetings and when contacted by email and telephone. We continue to work with our partners and local authorities to promote the guidance and to encourage the sharing of good practice.

Under the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 local authorities are required to ensure that food and drink provided in schools comply with the nutritional requirements that we have set. In carrying out this duty, local authorities must have regard to the Healthy Eating in Schools guidance. Local authorities therefore have a key role to play in making sure their school catering staff are aware of the guidance and are implementing it in their schools.

Scottish Government officials regularly promote the Healthy Eating in Schools guidance to local authority and school staff when speaking at conferences and seminars. We also consulted widely with local authority and school staff while drafting the guidance. Copies of the guidance were sent to all Scottish schools and local authorities.

In addition we have posted information on the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act (the Act) with links to the guidance on the Parentzone website at:

www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk.

However, we want to make sure more staff, parents and pupils are aware of the Act and the accompanying guidance. We are currently developing leaflets for parents and pupils to let them know about what is happening in schools in relation to health promotion and healthy food. Other leaflets are being developed for staff.

Partnership working and involving parents, pupils and staff are key objectives of health promoting schools. The health promotion guidance on the Act, that we issued to local authorities and schools last summer, includes guidance on partnership working and highlights the importance of involving partners, including parents, pupils and staff. Under the Act, local authorities are also required to promote school lunches. However, it is for local authorities and schools to determine how to promote the lunches and the Healthy Eating in Schools guidance. For our part we continue to work with our partners and local authorities to support the implementation of the act and to encourage the sharing of good practice.

Scottish Government officials have regular contact, including at meetings, at seminars and conferences, by email and by telephone, with food and drink manufacturers and their representatives to discuss the Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0319-01.htm

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0305-01.htm