As pizza firm supports Gove, junk food returns to schools

EDUCATION Secretary Michael Gove is under fire over the return of junk food into schools while also accepting donations from shareholders in Domino’s Pizza.

Mr Gove has torn up nutrition rules for school meals at the new generation of academy schools he has championed. The standards were implemented following a campaign led by TV chef Jamie Oliver.

The new academies have been allowed to set their own food standards.

A survey of 108 academies found more than a third – 37 – are selling at least one of the items banned from schools under local authority control, according to the investigation by the Channel 4 Dispatches programme. Concerned parents and teachers have also reported an increase in the number of takeaway shops opening up around schools.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Mr Gove’s constituency work has been supported by donations of almost £50,000 from shareholders in Domino’s.

Oliver said: ‘You have to be very careful about who gives you money, because this is sounding very much like America now, where Domino’s actually deliver a very large percentage of the school food service.’

Mr Gove said the responsibility for food and nutrition standards rested with those in charge of the academy schools.

Dispatches, Channel 4, 8pm tonight