Labour MEP, Richard Corbett, is celebrating a vote in the European Parliament which will grant free fruit to school children in Yorkshire & Humber and across the rest of Europe.
The cost of the project will be funded by the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and is designed to improve nutrition and help reduce obesity in Europe's children.
Richard said: "I am absolutely delighted with the adoption of the Report on the School Fresh Fruit Scheme. The creation of this will give children regular access to free fruit and its attendant health benefits, such as a lower chance of developing obesity, diabetes, and other serious diseases in later life. As well as providing immediate benefits for child health, the scheme will help to shape young people's views on nutrition, creating a healthier Europe and reducing the costs to states' healthcare systems.
Richard added: "The funding of free fruit for school children through the Common Agricultural Policy budget is a good example of how we are reforming the CAP to make it more beneficial to ordinary European citizens. It is telling that UKIP MEPs opposed this reform to the CAP because they said it would be good publicity for the EU!"
- The co-financing of the scheme by the EU and Member States will allow the extension of the existing Free School Fruit Scheme in England and the creation of similar schemes in Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland .
- The European Commission has budgeted 90million euro for the scheme with the European Parliament requesting 500 million euro in the report adopted today.
- 90 million euro will pay for one piece of fruit per child per week across the whole of Europe for 30 weeks
more information
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- phone 0113 245 8987
- e-mail luke@richardcorbett.org.uk
© 2003-2006 Richard Corbett MEP