Nick Clegg has announced that the Coalition will fund schools in England to provide every child in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 with a hot, healthy meal at lunchtime. Over the course of a year the average family spends more than £400 on school lunches per child. Universal free school meals for primary school pupils were a key recommendation in a recent review of school food produced independently for the Department for Education. The review found that, in pilots where all children had been given a free school dinner, students were academically months ahead of their peers elsewhere and more likely to eat vegetables at lunchtime. At the same time, the Coalition will extend free school meals to disadvantaged students in further education and sixth form colleges. Free school meals are currently available only for eligible students at school sixth forms. Mark Williams, Local campaigner said, “I think we all welcome this opportunity for those that need it and it further helps us to build a fairer society enabling every person to get on in life”