School Meals

HC Deb 28 November 1968 vol 774 cc187-8W

Mr. Dewar

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many fourth and subsequent children in a family will in Scotland continue to get free school meals despite their loss of automatic exemption from charge;

(2) how many children in Scotland will no longer receive free school meals as a result of the decision that fourth and subsequent children in a family will not be entitled automatically to a free school meal;

(3) what is the number of children in Scotland paying the full prescribed charge for school meals as a percentage of the number taking meals at the latest convenient date; and what he estimates that percentage will be after the withdrawal of the automatic right to free meals of the fourth and subsequent children in a family;

(4) what is the number of children in Scotland receiving free school meals expresed as a percentage of the number of children attending school at the latest convenient date; and what he estimates that percentage will be after the withdrawal of the automatic right to free meals of the fourth and subsequent children in a family;

(5) what is the number of children in Scotland receiving free school meals expressed as a percentage of the number of children taking school meals at the latest convenient date; and what he estimates that percentage will be after the withdrawal of the automatic right to free meals of the fourth and subsequent children in a family.

Mr. Ross

In September the number of children receiving school meals free of charge was about 16 per cent. of those attending school. It is estimated that this figure includes 50,000 pupils, or 6 per cent. of those attending school who received free meals as fourth and subsequent children. About 34 per cent. of those taking meals received them free and 1 per cent., in special schools or classes, paid half the full charge. Thus about 65 per cent. of those taking meals paid the full prescribed charge. It is not possible to estimate with any precision how many fourth and subsequent children will continue to receive free meals on the basis of family income.