HC Deb 12 June 1969 vol 784 cc1640-1
3. Mr. J. E. B. Hill

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the permitted and estimated current cost of supervising school dinners, where teaching staff are not available; and to what extent schools are making use of voluntary or only nominally rewarded help.

The Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. Denis Howell)

Arrangements for supervision of children taking school meals are the responsibility of local education authorities after consultation with their teachers. I am glad to say that in most areas teachers are providing voluntary supervision and supporting the head teacher in his overall responsibility for the conduct of the school meal.

The information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

Mr. Hill

Can the Minister say whether mothers are being involved to any significant and worth-while extent?

Mr. Howell

I am sure that where they are involved it is worth while. I am not certain that it is significant. There have been some recent reports about this matter. Any voluntary service in our society is to be welcomed. I welcome the opportunity of saying on behalf of the Government that the social education concerned in the supervision of school meals is very much an educational matter and is not to be lightly written off, as I am afraid some educationists tend to write it off at the moment.