§ 12. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many, and which, local education authorities in Scotland have up to date made charges for school meals either in whole or in part; how many have increased the charges for such meals; how many children are affected by these increased charges; and what are the economies thereby effected by each such local education authority.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartAll education authorities make charges for school meals and all increased their charges in 1950 and again in 1951. In October, 1952, 255,000 children were paying the increased charges. Estimates of the additional annual revenue raised in each 1040 education area by the increases made in 1950 and 1951 are given in a table of figures which, with permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. HughesDoes the Minister realise that this is a contemptibly mean way of penalising whole families which has not even the merit of making the penalty pay for the parsimony? Will not the Minister revert to free meals for children?
§ Mr. StewartThe hon. and learned Gentleman is asking me about previous increases. I gave the figures of those previous increases.
§ Following is the table:
| Education Area | Approximate Additional Annual Revenue | ||
| Counties: | £ | ||
| Aberdeen | … | … | 13,200 |
| Angus | … | … | 6,700 |
| Argyll | … | … | 4,300 |
| Ayr | … | … | 21,900 |
| Banff | … | … | 7,800 |
| Berwick | … | … | 5,600 |
| Bute | … | … | 400 |
| Caithness | … | … | 1,000 |
| Clackmannan | … | … | 2,000 |
| Dumfries | … | … | 7,500 |
| Dunbarton | … | … | 8,500 |
| East Lothian | … | … | 1,200 |
| Fife | … | … | 8,000 |
| Inverness | … | … | 8,300 |
| Kincardine | … | … | 3,500 |
| Kirkcudbbright | … | … | 3,500 |
| Lanark | … | … | 11,300 |
| Midlothian | … | … | 5,400 |
| Moray & Nairn | … | … | 1,200 |
| Orkney | … | … | 2,600 |
| Peebles | … | … | 1,100 |
| Perth & Kinross | … | … | 10,900 |
| Renfrew | … | … | 18,100 |
| Ross & Cromarty | … | … | 14,900 |
| Roxburg | … | … | 3,300 |
| Selkirk | … | … | 1,000 |
| Stirling | … | … | 9,900 |
| Sutherland | … | … | 2,600 |
| West Lothian | … | … | 2,500 |
| Wigtown | … | … | 300 |
| Zetland | … | … | 2 000 |
| Cities: | |||
| Aberdeen | … | … | 4,000 |
| Dundee | … | … | 8,300 |
| Edinburgh | … | … | 19,000 |
| Glasgow | … | … | 63,200 |
| Total | … | £285,000 |
§ 26. Mr. N. Macphersonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the average cost per school meal in Scotland in 1948, 1950 and 1952.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartThe average costs in 1948–49 and 1950–51 were 11.87d. and 14.11d., respectively. The estimated average for 1952–53 is 18.00d.
§ 44. Mr. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from local authorities regarding his proposal to increase the cost of school meals.
§ 38. Mr. M. MacMillanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland which Scottish local authorities, apart from Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh, have protested to him against the recently-announced increased charges for school meals.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartWritten representations have been received from the Association of County Councils, the Education Authorities of Edinburgh, Banffshire and Ross and Cromarty and Port Glasgow Town Council. My noble Friend the Minister of State has met deputations from the Association of Councils of Counties of Cities and the Association of County Councils who urged that no increase should be made. They also represented that, if an increase was essential, the price should be raised by two stages of ld. and any increase should be postponed to a date later than 1st March.
§ Mr. RossIn view of the widespread irritation and disgust that is aroused, will not the Government, even at this late date, withdraw this typical miserable example of Tory economy?
§ Mr. StewartI am afraid that we shall not be unable to repeat the action of the former Government in this matter, sorry as I am about it.
§ Mr. HamiltonWill the hon. Gentleman undertake to extend the date beyond 1st March, because the Fife Education Authority and others—the Fife Education Authority is protesting about it—are having very great difficulty in formulating their schemes for approval by the Secretary of State by 1st March?
§ Mr. StewartI am aware of the difficulty. The point was put to my noble Friend the Minister of State for Scotland and it is being considered.
§ Mr. RankinWill the hon. Gentleman agree that the actions of the two Governments in this respect are not comparable because the food subsidies are no longer in existence?