Many schoolchildren have poor diets

The move will be welcomed by the Scottish Consumer Council who have become concerned that the present approach to school meals could be encouraging unhealthy diets.

It wants to see a change in current legislation which allows some fizzy drink and fast food companies to promote their products in school canteens.

The council is calling for better regulation of sponsorship, vending machines and tuck shops.

Although ministers are unlikely to endorse a complete ban they will respond to the council's plea for a national policy to standardise quality.

National approach

The executive will announce the establishment of an expert panel, made up of teachers and nutritionists, to formulate a healthy eating strategy.

The group will also be asked to suggest ways of improving school canteens and increasing the take up of free school meals.

It is hoped that if new proposals can be approved in time, a new national approach to school meals will be in place by June 2002.

Monday's announcement will come one month after Scottish Socialist leader Tommy Sheridan called for free school meals to be introduced north of the border.

He welcomed the announcement "as a small step to improving the nutritional standards of food served in our schools".

But Mr Sheridan added: "These standards need to be legally enforceable as they are in England and Wales if they are to serve the purpose of improving our schoolchildren's diet."

He also repeated his call for free school meals for all of Scotland's schoolchildren.