British beef may not be banned in Europe any more, but it still could be some time before children at school in the district are tucking into it.

Education chiefs say Monday's announcement from Brussels will be taken in the context of an ongoing consultation about whether parents want beef back in schools.

"The Council is currently consulting with parents and governors across the district to gauge opinion on whether beef should be reintroduced to school meals," said a spokesman for Bradford Council's education department.

At the end of the consultation, the findings, plus subsequent Government announcements, would then form the basis for a decision, she added. The period of consultation is due to finish at the end of December.

"When this consultation period ends, the results will be reported back to the appropriate committee for further discussion,'' the spokesman added.

"Obviously any Government announcements on this issue will also be taken into consideration before any decision is reached," the spokeswoman said.

Beef was banned from school menus across the country in the light of the BSE scare and fears that it could be transmitted to humans, causing the fatal CJD.

Ian Murch, of the Bradford branch of the NUT, Britain's biggest teaching union, said beef should only go back on the menu if parents were confident that it was safe.

"We should not be putting it back in school meals until there is genuine confidence among parents that beef is good for their children," he said.

Bradford's Conservative education spokesman, Councillor Dale Smith, believes it should be a matter of individual choice.

"I think parents should be given the choice whether to have beef back because it is still a sensitive issue."

British beef could be served up once a week as an option to test opinion, he said.

"I have never stopped eating beef and I believe British beef is not just the tastiest beef, but now it is the safest."

Liberal Democrat education spokesman Councillor David Ward, agreed.

"It has got to be done school by school with each one choosing whether they want beef back on the menu."

Coun Ward also said he had continued to eat beef during the BSE scare.

T&A Opinion

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