§ Q4. Mr. Freud asked the Prime Minister if she is satsified with the co-ordination of the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Health and Social Security in their administrative arrangements in respect of the families on supplementary benefit.
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.
§ Mr. FreudWill the Prime Minister explain how the requisite provision for school meals, demanded by the Education Act 1944, can be made in schools where the school meals service has been abolished? In replying, will she bear in mind the undesirability of highlighting the identity of the recipients of free school meals?
§ The Prime MinisterI am very much aware of the latter point. It has always been a matter to which hon. Members have given great attention, but we have never been able to find a means of wholly overcoming the problem, whatever the regime has been. It so happens that the new school meals service is working very well and is very popular among many pupils.
§ Mr. Ioan EvansWill the Prime Minister look into the fact that unemployed people in my constituency—and I have an unemployment rate of 17 per cent.—who have committed no crime are being told to go to work camps in Henley-in-Arden, when the Home Secretary is bringing a Bill before the House telling people who have committed crimes that they can defer going to prison? How does the Prime Minister explain that?
§ The Prime MinisterI am just as concerned as the hon. Member is about the numbers of people unemployed, but I must carry on with the policy to reduce inflation, because that is the way ultimately to get the number of unemployed people down and to give them good and proper job prospects.