House of Lords
Parliament

Baroness Benjamin is asking the Government what plans they have to implement a whole school approach to nutrition and the health and wellbeing of children.She says to help tackle the childhood obesity epidemic, "we must have a national nutition strategy, starting with school meals and the teaching of nutrition in all schools." She calls for a universal free school meals policy and a radical new approach to teaching of nutrition in shcools.

Education Minister Lord Nash tells her that the introduction of free school infant meals has been successful but that "we are in a tight fiscal position" and the government is not intending to extend it. He adds that food and nutrition is a curriculum requirement until the end of Key Stage 3. 

House of Lords
Parliament

Lord Roberts of Llandudno is asking about proposals for funding public service broadcasting.

He tells the House that the ending of funding of the BBC by the licence fee would be damaging. He asks the business minister to remember that Welsh S4C funding would also be at risk. Finally he asks what the government mandate is to introduce such a wide change "when they only got 24% of vote at the last general election". Lord Roberts takes his seat to the sound of mumbles and slight surprise on the red benches.

Business Minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe tells him the government is keenly aware of S4C's situation and says they support both that channel, the world service and all the "excellent programmes" and creative content. 

She adds that the BBC charter renewal wiIl be considered subject to a wide range of consultation.

House of Commons
Parliament

Education Minister Sam Gyimah answers Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson's question on supporting investment in school buildings.

He says that the coalition spent £18bn on school buildings in the last parliament, more than the last Labour government in their first two terms combined, and the government plans to invest a further £19bn, £7bn of which with be given to increasing school places.

House of Commons
Parliament

Inequalities in funding for local schools is a common concern amongst MPs.

Labour MP Louise Haigh says pupils from a school in her Sheffield Heeley constituency are afraid to put drawing pins in the wall for fear of disturbing asbestos, asking the secretary how the government plans to fund non-academy schools.

House of Lords
Parliament

Following a brief pause for a peer to take the oath the Lords are now sitting.

Lord Whitty is asking what steps the government is taking to decarbonise the electricity supply system in the UK. He asks by what date coal-fired power stations will be phased out and when Hinkley Point power station will come on stream.

Answering for the Department of Engery and Climate Change, Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth tells him that by 2025 they anticipate that unabated coal will account for only 1% of total generation. He goes on to say that on the point of Hinkley it will be on stream in 2023.

House of Commons
Parliament

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan answers the first question from Conservative MP William Wragg on the school funding formula, saying the government is "committed to making funding fairer" for schools with its new programme after consultation with the public, MPs and the education sector.

Currently schools in different local authority areas receive different amounts per pupil according to the needs of the pupils. For 2014-15, local authorities allocated around 90% of schools funding, compared with 71% in 2012-13.

House of Commons
Parliament

Ending the day in the chamber, Conservative MP Richard Drax is leading a debate on Navitus Bay Wind Farm.

House of Commons
Parliament

Then we move onto the main business of the day, which is the first day in the four committee stage debates devoted to the detail of the Scotland Bill...and a few amendments for MPs to sink their teeth into. 

There's one from the SNP on making the Scottish Parliament a permanent fixture. Another from the SNP that this permanence can only be repealed if approved by the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish population through a referendum. And then another from the SNP granting "Full Fiscal Autonomy" to the Scottish Parliament so it has complete control over taxes. 

House of Lords
Parliament

In the House of Lords, peers will start with questions on subjects including decarbonisation targets, funding for public service broadcasting and the calculation of the block grant to Scotland.

The main business is a debate on trade and investment, while the short debate is on the law governing elections in the UK.

House of Commons
Parliament

At 2.30pm, MPs meet for education questions to question Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and her team on extra childcare provision, children in care and her plans to fix failing schools.

House of Commons
Parliament

Welcome to Monday's coverage of the UK parliament.

We are covering proceedings live from Westminster, we'll be bringing you all the latest from the House of Commons and House of Lords.