§ 37. Mr. HILLasked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that the city of Leicester education authority has reduced its original estimate of £3,500 for feeding of necessitous children down to £1,000; and will he use his influence to get the decision reversed?
§ Major BARNSTONA return from the local education authority for Leicester, dated 29th November, 1922, puts the authority's revised estimate for provision of meals at £1,900. The figure £1,000 is the sum on which the Board have agreed to pay grant. I cannot adopt the suggestion of the hon. Member.
§ Mr. D. SOMERVILLEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that that is costing the town of Barrow at the rate of £19,000 a year to give school children even one meal a day?
§ 38. Mr. ALBERT BENNETTasked the President of the Board of Education whether the Ministry has received from any education authorities protests against the limitation of the grant for the feeding of necessitous school children; if so, how many; and whether any of these protests come from authorities, and if so, which, in districts which are recognised as being necessitous areas?
§ Major BARNSTONThe Board have received protests from 51 local education authorities. Of these, seven are from authorities of highly-rated areas in which an additional grant is payable under Article 6 of Grant Regulations No. 1, and 1971 which are usually described as necessitous areas for purposes of the Board's administration.
§ Mr. HARRISAre not the education authorities bound to feed children who are too necessitous to take advantage of their education?
§ Mr. W. THORNEIs it not the fact that in consequence of the attitude taken up by the Board of Education in reducing the grants for feeding children, the local authorities have been compelled to provide the children with the necessary food?
§ Major BARNSTONI will put that point to my right hon. Friend.