§ Sir W. JENKINSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education if, in view of the distress that prevails in Glamorgan, he will consider a special grant to the education authorities for the purpose of setting up school canteens to provide one or two meals a day for all school children?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThe Board of Education already pay 50 per cent. of the expenditure on the provision of meals reasonably incurred by local education authorities, and my Noble Friend sees no reason to consider the payment of a special additional grant to local education authorities in a particular area. In any case, the provision of free meals for all school children in an area, irrespective of their physical condition or the incomes of their parents, appears to be outside the intentions of the Education Act.
§ Sir W. JENKINSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what recommendations are made to local education authorities in regard to meals and food provided for necessitous children under Sections 82 to 85 of the Education Act, 1921, ordinarily and in special cases, respectively; and what is the board's interpretation of a meal within the meaning of the Education Act, 1921?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThe provision of meals for school children has been fre- 1495W quently discussed in the annual reports of the board's chief medical officer, to which my Noble Friend would refer the hon. Member. Pages 134 to 138 of the report for 1932 contain a number of recommendations in regard to the administration of this service. The board regard ordinary meals, milk, cod liver oil, and certain concentrated foods as meals for the purpose of Sections 82 to 85 of the Education Act, 1921.