§ 43. Mr. Dunnasked the Minister of Agriculture the parts of England and Wales where liquid milk is not being provided for school children; and what action has been taken with the Milk Marketing Board to correct this?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education (Mr. Kenneth Lindsay)Liquid milk is being provided for school children in all or some of the public elementary schools in all the 315 local education authority areas in England and Wales with the exception of the Scilly Isles, Morecambe and Pudsey. In Morecambe and Pudsey the absence of provision for the supply of liquid milk is not due to such milk being unavailable, but to a preference in these areas for dried milk, so that no purpose would be served by taking up the matter with the Milk Marketing Board.
§ Mr. DunnMay I take it that the complaint that was lodged some 12 months ago, that 1,009 schools in this country were not being provided with liquid milk, has now been corrected?
§ Mr. LindsayThe situation is better. I simply said that in all or some of the 315 local education authority areas milk is being provided. Actually, in schools where 93 per cent. of the children are, there is milk available.
§ Mr. LindsayPrecisely what it says. In the 315 local education authority areas, either all of the schools are taking milk, or some of them are.
§ Mr T. SmithIs the Minister satisfied that, in those districts where milk is being supplied, it is supplied in sufficient quantities?
§ Mr. LindsayYes, Sir.
§ Mr. SextonIs pressure being brought to bear on those authorities that are not providing milk?
§ Mr. LindsayRepresentations have been made to them.
§ Sir Percy HarrisWill the Board bring pressure to bear on the authorities to carry out this duty? Will the hon. Gentleman, where they are failing to carry it out, use every endeavour to persuade them to do so?
§ Mr. LindsayI assure the hon. Member that pressure is being brought to bear, but you cannot force people to drink milk.