§ 55. Mr. CLEARYasked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the approximate amount saved, firstly in Liverpool and secondly in the country, by the action of the Unemployment Assistance Board in making deductions in respect of meals granted to necessitous schoolchildren?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADThe Board inform me that no information is available as to the aggregate effect of taking into account free meals provided at school to children in applicants' households. As the hon. Member was informed on 3rd July, there are several classes of cases in which the Board ignore such meals. In the remaining cases in which meals are taken into account to a moderate extent, no consideration of saving to the Exchequer arises.
§ Mr. CLEARYIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman prepared to make an inquiry into this subject, in view of the fact that the policy of the Unemployment Assistance Board is militating against the policy of the Board of Education, which encourages the granting of meals in industrial areas particularly?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADI will certainly consider it.