Consultation launched over future of free school milk in Wales
The future of free school milk for young children in Wales is under review, with a public consultation launched today on whether a current scheme should continue or be scrapped.
Currently the School Milk Subsidy Scheme provides free milk to learners in Reception to Year 2 and subsidised milk to learners in Years 3-6 and is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on behalf of Welsh Government.
However, the RPA will stop providing the scheme to Wales after 31 March 2027.
The consultation is seeking views on the future of the School Milk Subsidy Scheme, as well as whether a new Welsh school milk scheme should be established from April 2027 or if free school milk provision should be discontinued.
The Welsh Government has clarified that, regardless of the outcome of the consultation, milk will remain available to primary school age children through breakfast clubs and at lunchtime via the Universal Primary Free School Meals offer.
The consultation comes as the Welsh Government develops its National Food Strategy for Wales, which aims to increase the use of Welsh produce across the food system, including in schools.
School food is expected to be among the first areas examined by an expert working group supporting the strategy’s development.
The Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, Anna Brychan said: “Milk has long played a part in supporting the health and wellbeing of our youngest learners, and I want to make sure any decisions about its future are based on the fullest possible evidence.
“That’s why I’m launching this consultation today, to hear directly from schools, parents, learners and the farming and dairy sectors.
“I would encourage everyone with a view on this issue to take part in the consultation and help inform our decision and way forward.”
The consultation will be used to determine next steps and will run for 10 weeks and can be found here
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Free school milk in Wales is currently paid for by the Rural Payments Agency, the UK government. It’s being stopped. Previously we had Thatcher the milk snatcher. Now we have Burnham the bottle smasher.