Blair, Blair, the Milk Snatcher

3.00.00pm GMT Wed 4th Jan 2006

Milk

In echos of Margaret Thatcher (the original Milk Snatcher) Tony Blair and his Government are said to be considering ending milk subsidies for 1.2 million primary school children in England as they cost too much to administer. A report published today will recommend that the school milk subsidies paid to 15,000 schools and local education authorities in England be abandoned, saving £1.5m a year. The Government also plans to cut milk for children and pregnant mothers on benefit.

The logic behind this is that milk is now cheap enough that the state should not subsidies it in schools. However just because it is cheap does not mean that parents will be buying it for their children anyway. Milk is essential for young people growing up, providing calcium, and with around 75% of British children being calcium deficient ending the subsidy will make the situation worse.