44. Miss Rathboneasked the Minister of Education how long he estimates it will take to extend the system of school dinners for all children over the whole of the schools, elementary and secondary, respectively, coming under his Ministry.
§ Mr. ButlerI informed the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) on 25th May of this year that a three-year programme was envisaged for a scheme calculated to cover 75 per cent, of the children in the schools to which reference is made in the Question. Owing to the urgent claims on building labour, and circumstances arising out of the war, extension of this period may be inevitable, and I should not be justified in giving any more exact estimate at present.
Miss RathboneIs it not important that the matter should be expedited, in view of the Government's proposal of a very inadequate cash allowance proposed for children, or else that it should be supplemented by a complete system to tree school meals? How long are the children to wait for these school meals?
§ Mr. ButlerThis great social reform in the feeding of children at school has probably been advanced more rapidly than any other reform during the last three years, from a very small figure to a very large figure indeed. I am hoping that this advance will be intensified in the light of the circumstances to which the hon. Lady refers, although I could not accept all the remarks she has made as being exact.
Miss RathboneIf there is a delay, and not all children are able to get school meals, could not some cash allowance be given equivalent to the school meals? Why should it be left to chance whether children get them or not?