MP serves Freedom of Information request on Hull City Council

Hull North MP Diana Johnson today served a formal request on Hull City Council under anti-secrecy laws to obtain a key report on Hull's free healthy school meals scheme.

At the end of 2007 Professor Derek Colquhoun of Hull University completed his final report into a three-year pilot scheme that made healthier school food free in Hull's primary and special schools. This report was given to Hull City Council in mid-February. A month later, it has still not been officially published.

Under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the local authority is now obliged to provide the report within 20 working days.

Earlier interim reports by Professor Colquhoun had shown that the 'Eat Well Do Well' scheme, introduced when Hull City Council was under Labour control, had doubled the take-up of healthy school food and was having a positive effect on children's classroom performance. This impact came at a time of growing concern about childhood obesity and unhealthy diets among children.

Diana Johnson MP said: "Professor Derek Colquhoun independent academic research on Hull's pioneering free healthy school meals policy was commissioned by Hull City Council, funded with tax-payers' money and is on a subject of public concern.

"At least a month after Hull City Council officially received Professor Colquhoun's report there can be no legitimate reason for not releasing it without further delay.

"Given the claims that the Lib Dems make about their commitment to open government and freedom of information, it is with incredulity that I am having to use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain this report.

"This is not the first time that a lack of openness has been a feature of Hull's Lib Dem Council. Fortunately, under Labour's anti-secrecy legislation the Lib Dems cannot get away with either trying to keep this research from the public or with delaying its release - however politically convenient this would be for an administration that reintroduced school meals charges before the final report was finished."

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