§ 54. Sir W. Davisonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will inform the House of the estimated probable cost involved by the Education Act when fully in operation and other schemes recently approved in principle by Parliament, such as the 5s. a week grant for the second child, additional meals and milk for schoolchildren, gratuities for the Forces on demobilisation, Colonial development, building subsidies, etc.
§ Sir J. AndersonThe cost of supplying free meals and milk to children at school is estimated to be £60,000,000 when the 1531 service is fully developed (see Cmd. 6550, Paragraph 51). The estimated cost of war gratuities for the Forces on demobilisation is £200,000,000 and other release benefits (release leave, civilian outfits, post-war credits and foreign service leave) are estimated to cost a further £500,000,000. Estimates of the cost of the other items mentioned in my hon. Friend's Question are included in the statement published in the OFFICIAL REPORT for Wednesday, 28th March, in response to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for South Croydon (Sir H. Williams) on 13th March. I should perhaps make it clear that the figures shown in this statement under the heading of "Education" do not include the cost of free meals and milk to children at school, which I have given above.
§ Sir W. DavisonCan my right hon. Friend say what are the approximate totals of these figures, including those given by him to my hon. Friend the Member for South Croydon (Sir H. Williams)?
§ Sir J. AndersonI would ask my hon. Friend to be good enough to look at today's HANSARD, where he will see a tabular statement which gives the fullest information.