Chef Jamie Oliver has criticised a Sussex MP for giving academies the all-clear to serve their own standard of food.

Education minister Nick Gibb, MP for Bognor and Littlehampton, told Parliament that schools which choose to become academies will not have to comply with nutritional standards, which limit the fat, salt and sugar content in dinners.

Jamie, who has a restaurant in Brighton called Jamie’s Italian, spent months campaigning for the changes which led to many schools banning unhealthy foods.

But speaking in Parliament Mr Gibb said: “Some existing academies are required to comply with these standards through their funding agreements.

“However, new academies will not be required to comply with nutritional standards for school meals: they will be free to promote healthy eating and good nutrition as they see fit.”

A spokesman for Jamie said: “He hopes the new academies will take the current nutritional standards as the correct approach.

“Clearly it’s a huge concern that the decision will be made by each academy, opening the doors to the bad old days of reclaimed meat shapes and chips every day.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Outstanding schools converting to academy status already have an excellent level of pastoral care - we trust heads in new academies to know what is best for their pupils.”