§ 36. Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of school children, and what percentage of the total school population it represented, who were receiving free meals, taking school meals and taking school milk, respectively, at the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. MaclayIn round figures, the number of children receiving free meals in education authority schools in Scotland at a date in September, 1960, was 57,000 or 6 per cent. of the total school roll: the number taking meals was 272,000 or 31 per cent. of the total: and the number taking milk was 732,000, or 83 per cent. of the total.
§ Mr. DempseyHas the Secretary of State diagnosed the figures in such a way as to realise that more than double the number taking school meals are taking school milk, and that this is due in principle to the one reason that school milk is free? Will he do his best to 1129 resist any attack by the hatchet men in the Cabinet to interfere with the free school milk for our Scottish children?
§ Mr. MaclayI am not convinced that price is the most important element in all this. There are various factors besides price—above all, the fact that many parents wish their children to go home to lunch.