§ Mr. LANSBURYasked if education authorities in administering the Provision of Meals Act are obliged to ascertain that a child is destitute before supplying it with food?
§ Mr. TREVELYANI assume that the hon. Member refers to the expenditure of rates for the provision of meals by a Local Education Authority. The conditions under which such expenditure may be incurred are set out in Section 3 of the Education (Provision of Meals) Act, 1906. That section requires as a preliminary to expenditure out of the rates for this purpose that the Local Education Authority shall have resolved that children attending an elementary school within their area are unable through lack of food to take full advantage of the education provided for them, that they shall have ascertained that funds other than public funds are not available or are insufficient in amount to defray the cost of food furnished in meals under the Act, and that they shall have been authorised by the Board of Education to spend money out of the rates for the provision of such food.