§ 11. Miss RATHBONEasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the fact that much less than half the children in elementary schools are obtaining milk under the school milk scheme, he will cause inquiries to be made in a selected number of the poorer schools as to the reasons which are preventing the children from taking advantage of the scheme?
Mr. STANLEYAccording to the Board's information, at the end of March last 51.5 per cent. of the children in public elementary schools were receiving milk at school, the milk being supplied in the great majority of cases under the Milk Marketing Board Scheme. I will consider whether it would be desirable to make the inquiries suggested, but I should expect to find that, as was revealed by an inquiry of this sort conducted by the London County Council, many of the children do not join in the scheme as they do not like milk.
§ Miss RATHBONEWhile congratulating the right hon. Gentleman on the increasing number since his last statement, may I ask whether he is aware that the excuse that children do not like milk is the excuse given by parents when they cannot afford to pay for it?
Mr. STANLEYThat is not what was revealed by the inquiry of the London County Council. There are differences in taste among all of us. Some of us do not like beer.