The Government has insisted it cannot allocate any more money for school meals above the 220m already pledged.
Campaigners have called for extra funds after the School Meals ReviewPanel estimated it would cost around 486m to improve schooldinners, 266m more than the amount pledged.
But Stephen Crowne, director of resources at the Department forEducation and Skills, revealed that the Treasury would be unwilling togive further funding.
Speaking at the Healthier School Meals conference in London last week,he said: "If we got to the end of the three-year funding plan and stillneeded more, it would be a disaster."
