§ 4. Mr. Gowasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will be able to announce the size of the proposed increase in the charge for school meals.
§ Mr. MulleyThe charge will be increased to 20p in September next. This was announced in the recent White Paper on Public Expenditure (Cmnd. 6393).
§ Mr. GowSince the estimated cost of subsidies for school meals has increased from £266 million in June last year to £331 million last month, does the Secretary of State think that it would be prudent, in the national interest, to advance the date of the increase?
§ Mr. MulleyNo, Sir. Had I thought that to be the right decision, I should have done so already.
§ Mr. MaddenAre not parents already contributing more than half the total cost of providing school meals? Could not the cost of the overall service be reduced if changes were made in the content of school meals, to give higher nutritional value, and if changes were not made in the administration of the service?
§ Mr. MulleyIt would be difficult to find over £300 million along the lines suggested by my hon. Friend. In September, when the new charge begins—and costs will probably rise in that year—there will still be a subsidy of over 50 per cent. At present the subsidy is running at 64 per cent.
§ Mr. Charles MorrisonRather than imposing a specific increase on the charge for school meals, would it not be better, within a system of cash limits for the total cost of education, to leave the discretion for fixing the amount of the increase to local education authorities, so that they could make up their minds about relevant priorities?
§ Mr. MulleyThat is one of the factors which have been considered. I understand that over the years it has been the wish for the cost of the school meal to be fixed nationally, so as to avoid the kind or arguments that might otherwise arise within each locality.