Government launches schools' fruit scheme

This week saw the start of the National School Fruit Scheme, part of the Government's £52m plan to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables.

Public health minister Hazel Blears was at the Dalmain Primary School in London's Forest Hill on Monday, where children were the first to receive their daily free piece of fruit.

In May it was announced that London would be the second region to benefit from the scheme. The programme was first piloted in the West Midlands and is the biggest Government programme to improve child health and nutrition since the introduction of school milk in 1946.

All schools in London will receive free fruit by the end of December, after which the scheme will be introduced across the UK, region by region.

From 2004 all four- to six-year-olds in infant schools will be entitled to a free piece of fruit each school day.