FREE fruit will not be introduced this year to Welsh schools as part of an European initiative - for financial reasons, it has been revealed
This announcement follows a campaign by Joyce Watson, Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales, to encourage the Welsh Assembly to look at the scheme.
Last year, the European Parliament voted to pledge more than 90 million euros to offer free fruit and vegetables to primary school children in every member state. But each state would have to match-fund the scheme for between 25 to 50 per cent of the costs. It would have applied to all countries from this September.
Joyce, who believes the scheme could be an effective step in safeguarding children's health, asked the Welsh Assembly Government to consider the scheme.
However, education minister Jane Hutt has decided not to pursue the scheme for the next academic year after liaising with her Westminster Colleagues.
In a letter to Joyce, Ms Hutt said that the UK share of the European fund would be around 11 million euros - of which Wales would potentially receive 450,000 euros.
However, in the present climate the Assembly Government did not have the funds to match-fund this amount and the timescale was too short. But Ms Hutt has not ruled out being involved in the future.
In addition, the Assembly has a Appetite for Life Action Plan plus 1,000 schools are running fruit tuck shops.
Joyce said: "I am pleased that the education minister has looked into the scheme and I completely understand that financial issues are crucial in the current climate.
"But I hope that this scheme will be considered in the future."
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