§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much, for a married worker with three children aged three, seven and 12 years, 146W the income ceilings have been increased for eligibility, respectively, for free school meals, uniform grants and education and maintenance allowances since 1950; what were the dates of each increase; and what were the new income levels established on each occasion.
§ Mr. van Straubenzee1. The national remission scale to determine eligibility for free school meals was first introduced in 1964. Until then remission arrangements, including income scales, were the responsibility of individual local education authorities.
2. The amounts shown in the table are the national remission scale net income ceilings (see Note) for a family with three dependent children. Where the family's net income is less than a given amount, the figure at the top of the appropriate column indicates the number of its children at school entitled to free school meals.
New income levels established 1 2 3 £p £p £p Autumn Term 1964 9.93 9.67 9.43 Summer Term 1965 11.73 11.47 11.23 Spring Term 1967 12.30 12.05 11.80 Summer Term 1968 13.45 13.20 12.65 7th October, 1968 14.25 13.85 13.45 3rd November, 1969 14.95 14.55 14.15 Summer Term 1970 15.10 14.65 14.20 2nd November, 1970 16.25 15.80 15.35 Summer Term 1971 17.45 16.85 16.25 Note: Net income is total weekly income (including family allowance, if any) less amounts paid by way of income tax, national insurance contributions, rent and rates, mortgage repayments, expenses of employment (including travelling expenses, trade union subscriptions and superannuation contributions) and various other items. The first £2 of the mother's earnings, if any, are also disregarded in the computation of net income.
3. Information is not available about the basis of payment of the grants and allowances mentioned in the question which are at the discretion of L.E.A.s'