Shearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Shearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 11 September 2012. Volume:683;Page:5037. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
3. 
DAVID SHEARER (Leader of the Opposition) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does he stand by his statement in relation to food in schools that “most of those decile one to three schools have that and are dealing with the issue”; if so is he therefore satisfied that all children attending New Zealand schools are having their nutritional needs met and are arriving in classrooms ready to learn? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Acting Prime Minister) 
: 
 Yes the Prime Minister stands by his full statement which was that “In my experience most of those decile one to three schools have that and are dealing with the issue. But obviously you’ll see with a number of schools [for instance] on the waiting list for the KidsCan … that more needs to be done.” I also noted that the Government provides fruit in schools—indeed all decile 1 and 2 primary and intermediate schools are able to opt into this scheme—and the Government provides funding to KidsCan for its food for kids programme. As the member will know we all want children to have their nutritional needs met and arrive in classes ready to learn. The Government is keen to help where that is required but the fundamental responsibility lies with the parents of those children to feed them. 
David Shearer 
: Has he seen comments from the principal of Finlayson Park School in Manurewa who said that she is spending $9000 a year to feed hungry students and “that’s $9000 not being spent on teaching and learning” and is this what he meant when he said schools were dealing with the issue? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I have not seen those particular comments but I am sure that principal is doing everything she can to lift the achievement of those children. As the member should know it is important in the case of feeding children that the Government provides support where it is required but does not act in a way that takes from families the responsibility for feeding their own children. I know that the member does not believe it is their responsibility; he wants all children to be fed at school. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! That is sufficient. 
David Shearer 
: How does arguing about this issue resting on parent responsibility which we all agree on solve the problem tomorrow morning when more than 80000 children will turn up to school hungry? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I have outlined the range of careful measures the Government is taking to provide help where it is most needed. We do not intend to go down the track of taking from families the responsibility to feed their own children. It is a fundamental responsibility of a parent. 
David Shearer 
: Given that his Government is spending $560000 on sports equipment for private schools and just $320000 on KidsCan on feeding kids in schools does he believe he has his educational priorities right? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Yes we do have our educational priorities right. We have committed $9 billion actually to the funding of achievement in State-run schools. What we recognise and that member does not is that it is important that the Government does not act in this area in a way that undermines the responsibilities of families to feed their own children. 
David Shearer 
: In light of his comment on fruit in schools is he suggesting that if a kid turns up hungry at school and is given a piece of fruit that child is equipped with the nutritional needs it needs for the rest of the day? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: In some cases it might be. There are children who do have fruit for breakfast. In fact I thought under the previous Government’s Healthy Eating - Healthy Action programme it was trying to make our children eat fruit for breakfast.