Milk in Schools

The Nursery Milk Scheme giving under-fives in approved day care 1/3 pint of milk a day free was threatened with abolition and then saved by the prime minister over the weekend.

In a letter to the Scottish government, junior health minister Anne Milton said the £50 million cost of the milk scheme was too expensive.

Ms Milton said the government were considering an increase in the value of Healthy Start vouchers for families in need instead.

But the prime minister denied knowledge of the proposals and said the free milk scheme would not be scrapped.

The announcement prompted reminders of the nickname of former Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who was dubbed "milk snatcher" when she abolished free milk in schools in 1971.