§ 29. Mr. Probertasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he can now give his decision on the provision of free welfare milk for pre-school handicapped children, having regard particularly to the case referred to him recently by the hon. Member for Aberdare.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattNo, Sir. This matter is still under consideration.
§ Mr. ProbertDoes not the hon. Gentleman realise that the Government's policy of restriction on milk is a mean and niggardly policy towards those who are mere babies, who are physically handicapped and who have to rely on milk as a principal food? When we hear about priorities, when the Government are prepared to spend hundreds of millions of pounds to go into the Common Market, and when his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science can say that her priorities are such that we have to deprive children of free milk in order to pay for primary schools, does not the hon. Gentleman agree that it is blatant hypocrisy?
§ Mr. Gibson-WattIn addition to what I said in my answer, I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will realise that this is not purely a matter for Wales. It concerns England and Wales. Discussions are, therefore, going on at the present time.