I do
not think David Cameron should have given in to the media onslaught and “milk snatcher” headlines over his Public Health Minister, Anne Milton’s, annoucement to scrap free milk for the under-5s, saving the government £50 million. I would have thought it was exactly the kind of cut Cameron was seeking.
The Nursery Milk scheme allows children under five in approved day care to receive 1/3 pint of milk each day free of charge. Milk is one of the most nutritious inexpensive products which is affordable to parents, costing around 50p a pint. I would rather see those millions of pounds being spent on providing better teaching for struggling pupils with special needs, an area which can be a soft target for spending cuts.
And why can’t it be used to support our impoverished university students, instead of introducing a graduate tax on their future earnings when they will already have to pay higher taxes like anyone else if they earn a good salary?
*Reform think tank names Anne Milton as its Reformer of the Week for proposing the abolition of universal state-provided free school milk. Hear, hear!
I agree. The war ended a long time ago. There are many countries where parents cannot afford a bottle of milk for their kids. This is not one of them.
Cameron is turning out to be quite a different man , than we thought. If the cuts are made .. I hope the money stays within the schools, and yes better teaching for those with special needs, like speech therapy, and other impairments the children might have. Not once a month, more like once a week.
Sorry I would like the money to go back to the Forces…. going to be massive cuts again, and they are unfairly treated, especially with wages, pay rises etc, which they deserve. They also need to be treated better and get more help when they have to leave.. as for instance with disabilities due to being injured in the war zone. Rehab needs to be looked at, also allowances that they are entitled too.
I read that it says we spend £4 for every £3, can you explain this to me please.. not very well explained is it.
I hope Cameron gets his comeuppance .. He should apologize to Anne Milton .. I thought that is what he wanted, suggestions to ways of cutting government spending.
Steve, hear, hear.
Anne, I agree with you about the forces too. If cuts are going to be harsh, then surely axing free milk is one less-harsh option to take.
I agree this is an embarrassing issue for Anne Milton too. I guess that statement about the money we spend means the value of what we get is less than what we paid.
Ellee.. the Forces especially the RAF are going to be hit hard .. a huge mistake, was listening to Radio 2 earlier and some of these people do NOT have a clue what the RAF do .. !
Immigration springs to mind … the MOD needs sorting too. No more Jollies, no more huge pay rises .. cut them .. let the Forces top men sort it out.
I will tell you, my son is stretched to a limit already .. because of out of area duties .. for lots of the RAF men and women .. what does that tell you, they need them!
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I’m a teacher and I can assure you there are parents who have to think about whether or not to buy a bottle of milk, and there are certainly children who need it as they are not cared for properly – not everyone is from the ignorant middle classes you know.
I am in agreement with Depressed beyond tablets.. we do have a huge problem in this country with children not being cared for properly, but would these children be in affordable nursery classes , I don’t think so .. so having it even at school it is better than nothing.
I agree that in the 50s after the war (when I got free milk at school!) 1/3 pint of milk provided children with essential nutrients (protein, calcium, some vitamins and energy, to name a few) they might not have been able to afford at home, and it was a real health breakthrough to have the free milk. Now we know so much more about nutrition and one does wonder if the money might not be better spent in another area of the education budget.
There are far too many teenagers going to universities and there is no way that they can all have the brains required to get any advantage from spending time at such places .
We should get back to the days when the really clever went and the rest ( including me ) either went to work when they left school or onto technical or art courses to prepare them for skilled employment or became apprentices.
What we now have is this ridiculous huge amount of kids coming out after three years of supposed ” study ” who havent a cat in hells chance of gaining a proper job at the end of these jollies.
Its a complete waste of tax payers money and costs far more than the milk ration..