LESS chips and more veg will be on Oxfordshire's school menus from this autumn, as the Government tries to stamp out the 'junk food generation'.

New guidelines, introduced this week by Education secretary Alan Johnson, include chips being limited to twice a week and two portions of fruit and vegetables served with every meal.

Low-quality meat projects, fizzy pop and sweets will also be banned, while oily fish, fruit and yoghurt get the thumbs up.

Mr Johnson admitted school dinners had suffered from "decades of under-investment" and pledged to stop feeding children "rubbish".

But, although Oxfordshire's education chiefs have welcomed the moves, they say money and the role parents play remain key concerns.

Michael Waine, cabinet member for schools, said: "The new rules are common sense and County Facilities Management, Oxfordshire County Council's school catering service, is already working to implement them, but my only concern is the amount of money the government is putting into this.

"The Government is only putting in money over three years so, although practically the will is there to make it work, finance is still a highly questionable matter. We all know how difficult it is for schools to source high quality meals for under £2 a head."

Last year the Government promised £280m to improve school meals an extra 50p per head for primary schools and 60p for secondaries.

A Soil Association report suggests spending on ingredients by primary schools has increased from an average of 47p per pupil per day in 2005 to 51p this year. But some are still spending as little as 41p per child per meal, according to its survey of 74 local authorities in England.

In Oxfordshire, a revamp of the school meals service means that from April County Facilities Management ceased providing meals to any of the county's secondary schools, and a growing number of primary schools are also choosing to source their own providers.