§ 44. Mr. Concannonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations she has received from Nottinghamshire County Council with regard to the School Milk Bill; what reply she has sent; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeNone.
§ 46. Mr. Marksasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations she has received from the Association of Education Committees on the subject of school milk; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeThe Association wrote to the Department towards the end of May suggesting an amendment to the Education (Milk) Bill to give authorities discretion to provide free milk for primary school children between the ages of 7 and 11 from rate-borne expenditure. This matter has been thoroughly debated in Committee.
§ 51. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what diminution in supply of school milk has occurred in the last two years following restrictions on supply of free school milk by the last and present Governments; and what encouragement of consumption of school milk she is now sponsoring by all available agencies and media.
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeThe withdrawal by the previous Government of free school milk from senior pupils in September, 1968, led to a reduction of about 12½ million gallons of milk consumed in schools in England and Wales. The present Government's proposed changes in the school milk arrangements have not yet been implemented.
The sponsoring activities referred to in the last part of the Question are matters 430W for the interests concerned with milk consumption generally.