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New Statesman
09-07-2025
- Business
- New Statesman
School catering firms make millions while children eat Bad Pie
Photo by Daniel Leal/AFP Having been told about the horrors served for lunch at our local primary school – which include something described as a 'vegetable biscuit' and a dish known among the inmates as 'Bad Pie' – I remarked to one of the teachers that everyone thinks school dinners are horrible when they're a kid, but they're probably quite nice. Nope: even the teachers, I was told, found the meals revolting. Bad Pie is the taste of outsourcing. The Department for Education currently pays a meal rate of £2.58 per eligible pupil. The average English and Welsh prison has a food budget of £3.07 per prisoner per day (£4.14 in Scotland). Neither is extravagant, and this certainly isn't an argument for even worse food in prisons. But it does help to illustrate how little is spent on the nutrition of growing bodies and developing minds. What really matters is the portion of that £2.58 per day that actually ends up as food. Reading the accounts of the company that provides the Bad Pie, I found it declared a turnover of more than £70m in 2023-24. It is owned by a holding company that has five directors and who collectively paid themselves more than £2m in that year. The highest-earning director was paid more than £1m. This single salary would have been more than enough to buy up the entire stocks of 'raw materials and consumables' (food) declared on the company's balance sheet for the year. And that's just their salary, before pension contributions (more than £50,000 shared between five directors), or the hundreds of thousands in dividends that were paid to the owners (one director also owns most of the shares). So, there's excellent money to be made from owning a company that sells school dinners. I guessed the people serving the dinners aren't as richly remunerated, so I pretended to be a jobseeker and answered an advert for catering staff with the company. I was told that it paid £12.21 per hour – the UK minimum wage. In the time it takes a dinner lady to earn £1, the person at the top of the company gets something around £50. But this is small beans for the school-dinner rich list. The biggest school caterer in the UK is Chartwells, which is – along with other school catering firms such as Pabulum – a subsidiary of Compass Group, the world's largest food service provider. Compass Group's most recent accounts state that the total remuneration received by its CEO, Dominic Blakemore, (including pension contributions, bonus and long-term incentive plan) reached £9,499,000 in 2024. That's about £8,765 for each of Mr Blakemore's three meals a day for a year, and 330 times the pay of the average worker at his company. The Compass accounts contain a long explanation of why this, and other seven-figure salaries in the company, are necessary. The proof is in the pudding, however, and Chartwells has had the occasional unhappy customer. Jason Ashley, a headteacher from Southampton, wrote to parents last year to apologise for the quality of meals at his school. 'Chartwells seem to be unable to bake a potato,' he wrote. Sharon Hodgson MP, who has chaired the all-party parliamentary group on school food for 15 years, told me she has been hearing 'more and more horror stories of quality and portions going down, and probably that will be worse in the schools that have a contract catering company'. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe The overall quality of school meals fell dramatically during 2022, as budgets were squeezed between higher costs and rising wages. A survey by Hodgson's group found that some contract caterers stopped serving fish and most vegetables. Only the very cheapest processed meat was served, in some cases just once a week. Burgers became bunless. Children began to return home hungry, having been given much smaller portions. In one school, the typical lunch became a sausage roll and a piece of fruit. One catering provider claimed it had dropped fish from the menu due to 'lots of the UK fish being caught in Ukraine waters', which is, if you'll forgive me, utter pollocks: the UK has never imported any significant proportion of its fish from Ukraine. At one rural school, the caterer simply cancelled their contract because it was no longer worth having, and a parent had to step in – at their own expense – to prepare meals. Schools are supposed to meet certain nutritional standards, but these are in most cases not met, Hodgson told me, because 'nobody is monitoring them'. Her experience is that while some large food companies do provide good food and good value for money, schools typically offer better food when they bring it back in-house. She spoke admiringly of one group of kids who documented their meals, sacked their caterer and negotiated a new supplier themselves. The problem is that running a school is already a very difficult job and managing the catering in-house is more work. That's how outsourcing gets into the state – by promising to take away some of that work – and why it can be hard to get rid of, because the more overworked public sector staff are, the more they welcome anyone with a quick solution. And that is why almost a third of public spending – £326bn in 2022-23 – is outsourced. A truly horrifying amount of Bad Pie is being served, and it's making some people a lot of money. [See also: Britain is growing old disgracefully] Related
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Scotsman
20-06-2025
- Science
- Scotsman
Here's all you need to know about the summer solstice, including when the summer solstice is this year, why the date changes and what the weather forecast is.
Watch a Met Office video explaining the summer solstice - When is the summer solstice? Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Met Office says the summer solstice occurs when the northern hemisphere is fully tilted towards the Sun. It is the longest day and shortest night of the year. Here's all you need to know about the summer solstice, including when the summer solstice is this year, why the date changes and what the weather forecast is. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Daniel Leal / AFP via Getty Images | Daniel Leal / AFP via Getty Images Is the summer solstice the start of summer? Meteorological summer began on June 1, and will end on August 31, as it does every year. However, the summer solstice is the start of astronomical summer, which will end on September 22 this year. When is the summer solstice? The summer solstice occurs on June 21 or June 22 each year. This year the summer solstice will be on June 21. Why does the date of the summer solstice change? According to the BBC, the exact date of the summer solstice changes slightly each year due to the calendar year not perfectly matching the time it takes for the Earth to orbit the Sun. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Is the summer solstice the latest sunset of the year? The summer solstice is the day with the most hours of daylight in the year, but it's not the latest sunset or the earliest sunrise. The earliest sunrises take place before the summer solstice, and the latest sunsets happen after. Is the summer solstice celebrated? Many people in the UK celebrate the summer solstice at Stonehenge. Stonehenge was built to align with the sun on the solstices. This year summer solstice will be celebrated at Stonehenge from 7pm on June 20 to 8am on June 21. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There will also be a solstice swim in Bridlington. The Flamborough Flippers are inviting people to join them for a swim in the sea, and ask people to try and be in the water at Bridlington's North Beach by 04:42 on June 21. In Scotland, Jupiter Artland in Edinburgh is running a summer solstice celebration evening, with activities such as sound baths, sunset swims and flower crown building. To find out more and to book tickets visit their website here . What is the forecast for the summer solstice? The Met Office UK weather forecast for summer solstice this year - June 21 - is: 'Hot and humid with sunny spells. Thundery showers moving north and east through the day, heaviest over northern England and Wales. Turning fresher from the west later.'
Forbes
06-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Summer Solstice 2025: Date, Time And How It Works
The sun rises at Stonehenge, near Amesbury, in Wiltshire, southern England on June 21, 2023, during ... More the Summer Solstice festival, which dates back thousands of years, celebrating the longest day of the year. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images) The June solstice marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest in the Southern Hemisphere. But what exactly causes this astronomical event? Here's everything you need to know about the summer solstice and the winter solstice in June 2025, including the dates and where to livestream it from Stonehenge in the U.K. Called the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere because it heralds the beginning of the new astronomical season of summer, the event takes place this year at precisely 02:42 UTC on Saturday, June 21, 2025 (10:42 p.m. EDT on Friday, June 20). The solstice is one of four major waymarkers of Earth's journey around the sun, the others being the other solstice in December and the two equinoxes in September and March. All are a consequence of the 23.5-degree tilt of Earth's axis with respect to the plane of the solar system. That tilt causes different parts of the planet to get more or less hours of daylight according to the time of year. It's the tilt that causes Earth's seasons. During the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun, allowing it to appear at its highest point in the sky at noon. The opposite is the case in the Southern Hemisphere. On the date of the June solstice, the sun shines directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, an imaginary line around Earth at 23.5 degrees north of the equator (through Mexico, India and Egypt). At the North Pole, the sun doesn't set, while at the South Pole, it doesn't rise. Though the solstice itself isn't easily perceptible, it is often associated with visible changes in the sun's path. The exact point on the horizon that the sun appears to rise and set changes throughout the year. On the June solstice, the sun rises at its most extreme point on the northeast horizon, reaches its highest point in the sky at noon, and sets at its most extreme point on the northwest horizon. It's for that reason that the solstice is celebrated at Stonehenge in the U.K., a monument that is thought to align with the rising sun on the date of the June solstice. English Heritage offers a YouTube livestream of the sunrise on the solstice. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Extra.ie
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Extra.ie
Met Eireann confirms heatwave return date following dramatic weather washout
Irish sun seekers fret not, according to Met Eireann we could be enjoying yet another heatwave very soon. After weeks of ongoing sunshine and scorching temperatures, Ireland's weather has sadly taken a turn for the worst ahead of the June bank holiday. While the upcoming forecast may look particularly soggy for the month of June, all hope is not lost with warmer days seemingly ahead. Irish sun seekers fret not, according to Met Eireann we could be enjoying yet another heatwave very soon. Long-range weather maps are showing a possible surge of heat building over Ireland from early June. According to the latest data, temperatures could climb during the second week of June, peaking on Tuesday, June 10 with potential highs of 25C. Met Eireann has also confirmed these projections with its official long-range forecast. After weeks of ongoing sunshine and scorching temperatures, Ireland's weather has sadly taken a turn for the worst ahead of the June bank holiday. Pic: Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images The national forecaster is predicting high pressure from Monday, June 9, bringing 'more settled and warmer conditions' that are expected to last up until at least Sunday, June 22. They said: 'Monday, June 9 to Sunday, June 15 is showing a signal for higher pressure over Ireland. This will bring more settled and warmer conditions with temperatures increasing slightly above-average across the country. It will be drier also with rainfall amounts below-average nationwide. 'Confidence is lower for Monday, June 16 to Sunday, June 22, but current indications suggest that high pressure will remain the dominant feature of our weather. Temperatures will be slightly higher than normal, and precipitation is expected to be lower-than-average.' While the upcoming forecast may look particularly soggy for the month of June, all hope is not lost with warmer days seemingly ahead. The national forecaster further explained the long range system, adding: 'The extended range forecast can at times provide an insight into weather patterns, however they have generally low skill because forecasts beyond one week become increasingly uncertain due to the chaotic nature of the atmosphere.' However prior to sunnier conditions, we will have to put up with a bit of rain, with Met Eireann continuing: 'Friday will be a largely dry day for many with variable cloud and sunshine. Any residual rain and drizzle in the south and southeast will soon clear in the morning, with just well scattered showers following for the rest of the day. Highest temperatures of 16C to 21C . Moderate southwest to west winds, initially fresh to strong near the northwest coast, will ease light to moderate as the day goes on. 'Mainly dry and bright to begin on Saturday, but a spell of rain, possibly heavy, will soon spread from the west through the morning and afternoon. The rain will clear into the Irish Sea in the afternoon, and will be followed by sunshine and showers, some heavy in the northwest, with the chance of thunder. Highest temperatures of 15C to 20C in moderate to fresh southwest winds, but becoming very windy later near Atlantic coasts, with strong to gale force and gusty southwest winds developing in the evening. 'Breezy on Sunday with a mix of sunshine and showers, some heavy and possibly thundery. Temperatures will be a little lower than the previous couple of days with highest values of 13C to 17C and it'll be breezy or rather windy with moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds, strong at times near coasts.'
Reuters
04-02-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Brazil 2025 public debt seen rising by double-digits, rate-linked bonds soar
BRASILIA, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Brazil's Treasury on Tuesday estimated that federal public debt will rise up to 16% this year, as bonds linked to the benchmark interest rate potentially exceed half of total debt, exposing them to the central bank's aggressive push to tame inflation and making it costlier for the country to service its debts. The Treasury's annual financing plan sees debt ranging from 8.1 trillion reais to 8.5 trillion reais ($1.47 trillion) in 2025, up from the 7.316 trillion reais recorded in December. It also stressed the continued strategy of issuing conventional and sustainable bonds to provide a reference for the Brazilian sovereign yield curve, adding it "may use external liability management operations to enhance the efficiency of the yield curve." The Treasury estimated that the share of debt linked to the benchmark Selic interest rate will account for 48% to 52% of the total this year, after rising to 46.3% in 2024. These floating-rate bonds, known as LFTs, reached their highest share in 20 years last year, amid intense volatility from shifting interest rate expectations in the U.S. and concerns over Brazil's growing indebtedness. According to Treasury Secretary Rogerio Ceron, the strategy of increasing the share of floating-rate bonds aligns with market appetite. "There is no point in working against market demand," he said at the press conference. Such securities are typically more appealing to investors during periods of heightened risk perception but leave debt costs vulnerable to sharp increases when interest rates go up. Last week, Brazil's central bank raised rates by 100 basis points to reach 13.25% while signaling a matching hike in March to curb inflation. Prices in Latin America's largest economy are currently pressured by robust economic activity and a weaker currency amid lingering fiscal woes and a challenging global backdrop. Each rate increase is immediately passed on to servicing costs of almost half of Brazil's hefty debt burden. The gross debt of the South American nation closed 2024 at 76.1% of gross domestic product (GDP), a level deemed high among emerging market peers. The Treasury maintained its long-term goal of reducing the share of LFTs in total debt to 23% by 2035, but Daniel Leal, the Treasury's deputy secretary for public debt, said that reaching this optimal level within a ten-year horizon may not be feasible. "This may take a little longer," he said, adding he did not believe the increased share of these bonds in total debt was hindering the transmission of monetary policy. Leal also highlighted that the Treasury began the year with a much more balanced debt management approach, noting that January auctions were "quite successful," with volumes significantly higher than those seen immediately before. ($1 = 5.7669 reais)
