§ 11. Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what she estimates to be the total cost of restoring the price of school meals to its 1970 level.
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeAn additional £26 million per year.
§ Mr. AshtonWill the Minister tell us what sort of a Government give away £1,200 million in the Budget and at the same time compel half a million kids to eat sandwiches and chips for their dinner? What representations did his Department make to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Prime Minister, either before the Budget or after it, to ask them to find the £26 million to reduce the cost of school meals to what it should be?
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeI am grateful for the hon. Gentleman's Question and supplementary question because they illustrate the difference of viewpoint, in that the £26 million is equivalent, for example, to about 300 new primary schools.
§ Mrs. KnightWill my hon. Friend set up an educational establishment to inform members of the Opposition that the Budget does not give money away but merely allows people to keep more of their own money in their pockets?
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeI cannot help my hon. Friend because I am afraid that in this, as in much else, the Opposition are in educable.
§ Mr. Edward ShortIs it still the Government's policy, as announced in "New Policies for Public Spending" in October, 1970, to charge the full econo- 1416 mic cost for school meals, or has that policy gone the way of all their other initial policies?
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeThe matter will be appropriately considered, as has been previously announced.