More pupils opt for school dinners

The TV chef Jamie Oliver's campaign for healthier school dinners is proving popular with pupils, figures show.

More that four out of 10 children in primary schools (41.4 per cent, up from 39.3 per cent last year) are eating the new healthier school dinners introduced as part of Oliver's campaign. In secondary schools, the figure is up from 35 per cent to 35.8 per cent, a survey by the School Food Trust and the Local Authority Caterers Association, revealed. It means an extra 320,980 pupils in England are eating school dinners.

Last week the Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, claimed that the healthy eating campaign was counter-productive.

Oliver said he was "massively encouraged" by the figures.