§ 27. Mr. F. Andersonasked the President of the Board of Education the names of the public elementary schools within the Parliamentary Division of Whitehaven, at which there are no facilities for drying the outdoor clothes of the children and/or washing facilities and the total for each school on the school register.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education (Mr. Ede)I am making inquiries as to whether this information can be readily obtained and I will let my hon. Friend know the result.
§ 28. Mr. F. Andersonasked the President of the Board of Education the names of public elementary and secondary schools in the Parliamentary Division of Whitehaven supplying milk and/or dinners and the total for each school on the school register receiving milk, receiving dinners, respectively, the percentage at each school receiving milk and dinners, respectively; the names of the schools not supplying milk and/or dinners, those sanctioned by his Department, with the dates on which sanction was given and the total for each school on the register; the reasons for the schools sanctioned to provide milk and/or dinners failing to do so; the names of the schools for which no steps have been taken to supply milk and/or dinners; and the total for each school on the register.
§ Mr. EdeI regret that the information asked for is not available and my right hon. Friend is reluctant to ask the two local education authorities to expend the time and labour involved in providing the statistics and other particulars. Both the Cumberland and Whitehaven local educa- 338 tion authorities have made very substantial new provision during the last two years, and further proposals for new large kitchens have been approved recently by the Board. If my hon. Friend will supply information as to any complaint that he has received regarding particular schools, my right hon. Friend will be pleased to make investigations.
§ Mr. AndersonIs the Minister aware that, when this sanction has been given, very great delay has taken place in the contracts being carried out; and is he satisfied that the priorities given at the present time are high enough to see that the contracts are carried out in a reasonable time?
§ Mr. EdeI am satisfied that the arrangements made between my Department and the other Departments concerned, for obtaining these priorities, are working as well as can be expected, in view of the tremendous strain on the resources of the country at the present time.