§ 26. Miss Eleanor Rathboneasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the recent Order restricting the milk allowance to children in schools to one-third of a pint daily, 1263 except in the case of those receiving free milk, is being so interpreted as to prevent children ordered to have two-thirds of a pint by the doctor from receiving this quantity in school because their parents are paying for it; and whether he will give instructions to prevent children from being thus penalised because of their parents' willingness to pay?
§ The President of the Board of Education (Mr. Butler)I regret that the winter shortage of milk has made it necessary to confine the maximum allowance of two-thirds of a pint a day under the Milk-in-Schools Scheme to necessitous children who receive milk free of charge. The justification for this exception to the general allowance of one-third of a pint rests not on medical grounds but on the assumption that these children may not be receiving in full their priority supply of a half-pint a day at home. Additional allowances of milk on medical grounds are governed by the provisions of the Milk (Scheme of Supply) Order, 1941.
§ Miss RathboneDo we understand from that reply that if a child is allowed to have only one-third of a pint, it is assumed that the parent will be able to obtain the other one-third of a pint at home?
§ Mr. ButlerChildren are entitled to the domestic milk ration, in addition to any milk they receive at school.