HARROW Council will review plans to introduce halal-only meat menus in the borough's primary schools after a raft of complaints from parents.

Proposals have been laid down for firm Harrison Catering to provide schools meals for primary schools, extending a contract already in place in all but one of the borough's secondary schools.

However, a subsequent furore when the news became public was followed by complaints lodged with the council, with many upset that a non-halal meat option would not be available.

The council has now said it will review the situation when the new school term starts, and has rejected some claims in the media that pupils were being forced to eat halal meat.

A statement put out by the council on Friday, August 6, insisted: “The use of halal meat is common practice across London in many schools, public organisations and indeed restaurants, because of the need to provide segregated meat preparation.

“However, there is a choice of menu every day and frequently there is a fish, as well as a vegetarian choice.”

Harrison was contracted to provide meals to all secondary schools in Harrow except Hatch End High two years ago, and it has emerged the schools had been serving halal-only meat option for several years before that.

No consultation with parents is thought to have been carried out two years ago as there was no significant change to the menus being offered, and it is not known whether parents were told when a halal-only meat option was first introduced.

The council was not told about the Harrison contract when it was signed, but since the halal meat broke out, it has sought to take charge of the situation.

Councillor Brian Gate, who is in charge of schools and colleges for the new Labour administration, said the council will “make the best decision for their pupils” over whether to introduce the menus to primary schools.

He added, in an indication of councillors trying to extinguish the row: “At present we are not proceeding to roll this programme out more widely but this is because of the cost constraints and the level of interest from parents.”

It is understood around 20 primary schools had expressed an interest in the Harrison-provided meals after the council asked if any would consider the option.

However, the council has rigidly insisted the final decision is down to the schools themselves, and the process of introducing the menus in primary schools is at a very early stage.

Harrison Catering Services said it “works hand-in-hand with clients to provide them with the contract specifications they request”, but declined to comment on the Harrow schools contract specifically.

The council has asked anyone concerned about school meal provision to email school.meals@harrow.gov.uk.