§ 9. Mr. Hastingsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education in how many schools milk tablets 520 are given to scholars in place of fresh or reconstituted milk; and for what reason this choice is made.
§ Sir E. BoyleFifteen. A satisfactory supply of fresh milk cannot be arranged for these schools, and the children prefer tablets to reconstituted milk.
§ Mr. HastingsDoes the Parliamentary Secretary realise how much the health of school children depends upon the milk-in-schools scheme? Does he also realise that these abominable milk tablets can never take the place of fresh or reconstituted milk? Has he ever tried to eat ten tablets such as are given to these children, and, if so, how long has it taken him?
§ Sir E. BoyleNo, Sir, but I am told that at some of the fifteen schools using tablets pupils who have previously refused to drink reconstituted milk now seem quite to enjoy sucking their tablets. My noble Friend approves the supply of tablets or dried milk only where he is satisfied that satisfactory arrangements cannot be made for the supply of fresh milk.