LAST WEEK, Tony Blair announced that he wants us to lead more healthy lives. But does he really mean it? Yet again, we have a huge Labour cop-out.

How else are we to explain the decision not to implement cookery lessons in all schools, for all children? We parents are often warned about an obesity “time bomb” and there is endless hang-wringing about what we can do about it. But to make a difference, we need decisions, not words.

When Ruth Kelly was Education Secretary, she backed a recommendation that all children should be given lessons in cooking healthy food. It was revealed last week that the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the Government’s own advisory body, also recommended that cookery lessons should be compulsory.

But the current Education Secretary, Alan Johnson, disagrees. Instead he has announced that lessons will be attended by “every young person who wants to”. How ridiculous. Has no one ever pointed out to Mr Johnson that problems are often best addressed by going back to basics? In the case of obesity, this means teaching children the fundamentals of nutrition.

Naturally the Government doesn’t see it that way. This is despite Mr Johnson himself announcing that children “must” be taught the skills they need to cook, “so they continue to eat healthily in later life”. It’s a pity he hasn’t put this laudable sentiment into practice.

Doesn’t Mr Johnson realise that those likely to volunteer for the lessons are often those who need it least? What will happen to the children who have no idea about what’s healthy or who have no one at home who cooks? It’s fine to say that parents should take responsibility, but if one generation can’t cook, it’s impossible for them to help the next one.

Making lessons voluntary is not the answer. That not only reinforces a sense that cooking is not important enough to be made compulsory, but it also ignores the issue of funding. Cookery classes cost money for trained staff, equipment, ingredients and recipes.

Of course, the Government sold this absurd fudge as putting cookery lessons back on the “school menu”. In reality, it’s nothing of the kind. The most useful subject I ever learnt was Home Economics. Today and in the future thousands of children will leave school without those skills.