HC Deb 24 February 1949 vol 461 cc2016-8
76. Mr. S. O. Davies

asked the Minister of Education how many school dinners were served in our infant, primary, secondary, modern and secondary grammar schools during the year 1948.

Mr. Tomlinson

521,500,000 dinners were provided in canteens in maintained schools in the financial year 1947–48. This figure includes teachers' and canteen staff meals.

77 and 78. Mr. S. O. Davies

asked the Minister of Education (1) what sum of money has accrued during 1948 from the economies he has enforced on our school meals service; to what degree have the quality of the meals and standard of service suffered as a consequence; and what response he proposes to make to the protests of local education authorities against this form of economy;

(2) if he will consult medical officers of health and school medical officers with a view to ascertaining to what degree the economies he has enforced on the school meals service have affected or are likely to affect the health and general well-being of our school children.

Mr. Tomlinson

The control of expenditure on school dinners rests with local education authorities. I am called upon to fix in advance the limits of the Exchequer grant for each area by reference to the reasonable costs per meal for food and overheads after examining the estimates submitted. The limits which I fixed for 1947–48 and those so far fixed for 1948–49 have covered the costs per meal proposed in all but a few cases though I have asked a number of authorities to reconsider their costs for the future. For 1947–48 the limits fixed covered an increase in the average costs and for special reasons a further increase is likely in 1948–49, in both years partly in order to permit improvements where necessary. Certain anxieties arising from provisional criticisms of authorities' preliminary estimates for 1948–49 have been discussed with the Association of Education Committees but I have received no protest against the limits so far finally fixed. I am satisfied that school Medical Officers generally have a high opinion of the quality and value of school dinners and that no occasion arises for consultation with them regarding the effect of the grant system on this service.

Mr. Davies

How can my right hon. Friend tell the House that the question of expenditure on the school meals service is left in the hands of the local authority while in the following sentence he informs the House that he places a limit upon such expenditure? May I ask further, since the two Questions have been answered together, whether it is true that my right hon. Friend has received very strong objections from local education authorities in different parts of the country?

Mr. Tomlinson

In answer to the last part of the supplementary question, it is true that I have received representations from certain local authorities, but in the main the representations have been such that after examination and explanation agreement has been reached. I should like the House to remember that this is a 100 per cent. grant and that, therefore, the Treasury and my Department must keep a reasonably firm hand upon expenditure.

Mr. Kenneth Lindsay

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that, despite the excellence of the service, the first priority goes to reducing the size of classes in primary schools?

Mr. Tomlinson

That has nothing at all to do with the Question.

Mr. Davies

In view of the utterly unsatisfactory answer which has been given to both Questions, I shall raise this matter at the first opportunity.