§ 43. Mr. FREEMANasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the fact that a daily supply of milk for children at school is obtained by less than 1 per cent. throughout the country, he will state what action he proposes to take for its provision to a greater number of children?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANIf my hon. Friend will refer to his question of 18th November and the answer which I then gave him he will see that it refers solely to the free supply of milk; the total number of children receiving milk in the schools is very much larger, being estimated at some 11 per cent. of the total number of children in attendance.
§ Mr. SMITHERSWhat steps are taken to see that the milk is tuberculin tested?
§ Mr. McSHANEIs the right hon. Baronet aware that at some schools it is the practice for the children to bring a penny for milk, and that unemployed men are often unable to afford it although their children need it most?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThere are a good many local authorities which provide milk free in cases of need.
§ Mr. FREEMANWhat is the right hon. Gentleman doing to promote a scheme to provide more milk?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI pointed out the other day that there has been an increase of 100,000 children in the last six months who receive milk in the schools, and I took the opportunity at the Health Congress of explaining the situation and expressing a hope that it was going to be extended very much.
§ Mr. BOOTHBYWill not the right hon. Baronet consider passing legislation along the same lines as the legislation recently passed for Scotland?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANAs a matter of fact, the English authorities have all the power they need.