§ 32. Mr. Muffasked the Minister of Education the date on which he proposes to take over the various camps used by education authorities from Camp Corporations, Limited, and avoid the friction and inefficiency of dual control.
| England and Wales. | ||||||
| Percentage of children present on a day in June, 1944, who received a midday meal and/or milk at school, | ||||||
| — | Meals. | Milk. | ||||
| Free. | On Payment. | Total. | Free. | On Payment. | Total. | |
| Public Elementary Schools … | 4.6 | 26.1 | 30.7 | 8.8 | 67.6 | 76.4 |
| Meals. | Milk. | |||||
| Grant-aided Secondary Schools | 52.9 | 60.0 |
§ No figures are available showing the numbers of pupils in secondary schools who received meals or milk free and on payment respectively. The cost of dinners varies somewhat between area and area and between school and school, but on the average amounts to about 9d. in public elementary schools and to rather more than 10d. in secondary schools. Of these amounts parents are normally charged approximately the cost of the food which at the present time is about 5d. in public elementary schools and rather over 6d. in secondary schools, the balance being attributable to fuel, staff and other overheads.
406§ Mr. ButlerThe way in which the national camps can most effectively be used in future, after they cease to be needed in connection with the Government evacuation scheme, raises a number of points which are under consideration by the chief interests concerned; I am unable to accept all the implications contained in the last part of the Question.