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| Funding row over school breakfast | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| As the 1,000th school in Wales signs up to the assembly government's free breakfast programme, a row has broken out about the funding of the scheme. | As the 1,000th school in Wales signs up to the assembly government's free breakfast programme, a row has broken out about the funding of the scheme. |
| Free breakfasts first started in 2004 to ensure the poorest children did not start the school day hungry. | |
| Schools across Wales are now offering the service which cost £8.3m last year. | Schools across Wales are now offering the service which cost £8.3m last year. |
| But the Conservatives said the money would be better spent elsewhere and that parents should be responsible for feeding their children. | But the Conservatives said the money would be better spent elsewhere and that parents should be responsible for feeding their children. |
| The party's shadow education minister Paul Davies AM said: "In such a difficult financial climate this is money which could have been used elsewhere within the education system rather than subsidising something that should be the responsibility of parents. | The party's shadow education minister Paul Davies AM said: "In such a difficult financial climate this is money which could have been used elsewhere within the education system rather than subsidising something that should be the responsibility of parents. |
| "We, of course, want to see children receive a healthy, balanced diet. | "We, of course, want to see children receive a healthy, balanced diet. |
| They should be investing in education, not toast and cornflakes Paul Davies AM, Welsh Tories | They should be investing in education, not toast and cornflakes Paul Davies AM, Welsh Tories |
| "But the growing expense of this scheme is something the education minister's much-publicised spending review should take a long, hard look at. | "But the growing expense of this scheme is something the education minister's much-publicised spending review should take a long, hard look at. |
| "Ministers should ask themselves: 'Is this something we can now afford'? They should be investing in education, not toast and cornflakes." | "Ministers should ask themselves: 'Is this something we can now afford'? They should be investing in education, not toast and cornflakes." |
| But Wales' Education Minister Leighton Andrews responded by saying that children's health and concentration was improved by eating breakfast. | But Wales' Education Minister Leighton Andrews responded by saying that children's health and concentration was improved by eating breakfast. |
| "In providing free school breakfasts, our aim is to ensure that our youngest children are given a flying start in life," he said. | "In providing free school breakfasts, our aim is to ensure that our youngest children are given a flying start in life," he said. |
| In providing free school breakfasts, our aim is to ensure that our youngest children are given a flying start in life Education Minister Leighton Andrews | In providing free school breakfasts, our aim is to ensure that our youngest children are given a flying start in life Education Minister Leighton Andrews |
| "This can have a knock-on effect in the raising of standards of learning and attainment." | "This can have a knock-on effect in the raising of standards of learning and attainment." |
| Official figures show that around 66% of primary schools in Wales now offer free breakfasts to pupils. | Official figures show that around 66% of primary schools in Wales now offer free breakfasts to pupils. |
| The latest school to take up the scheme is Cardiff's Baden Powell Primary School in the Tremorfa area of the city. | The latest school to take up the scheme is Cardiff's Baden Powell Primary School in the Tremorfa area of the city. |
| First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "There are many advantages of schools choosing to make a commitment to offering children a free healthy breakfast. | First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "There are many advantages of schools choosing to make a commitment to offering children a free healthy breakfast. |
| "One Wales commits us to maintaining the programme of free school breakfasts and we look forward to even more schools taking up the scheme." | "One Wales commits us to maintaining the programme of free school breakfasts and we look forward to even more schools taking up the scheme." |