§ Mr. Georgeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people have received school dinners for each year since 1956; and what these totals represent as a percentage of students eligible.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonI understand that my hon. Friend's Question relates to 241W pupils in receipt of free school meals as a percentage of those eligible. Figures of pupils eligible for free school meals are not known, and no estimates were made before 1966. It is estimated that in 1966 about 50 per cent. of such pupils took up their entitlement. As the result of publicity campaigns by my Department in collaboration with the local education authorities, the proportion rose to 75 per cent. by 1969 and to 80 per cent. by 1970 and has remained broadly at that level since then. Numbers of pupils in receipt of free school meals are as follows:
MAINTAINED SCHOOLS (INCLUDING NURSERY AND SPECIAL) IN ENGLAND AND WALES Year (October) Numbers of pupils (000's) in receipt of free school meals 1956 … … … 216 1957 … … … 218 1958 … … … 238 1959 … … … 254 1960 … … … 247 1961 … … … 238 1962 … … … 260 1963 … … … 289 1964 … … … 281 1965 … … … 308 1966 … … … 330 1967 … … … 404 1968 … … … 841 1969 … … … 594 1970 … … … 627 1971 … … … 805 1972 … … … 850 1973 … … … 795 1974 … … … 750 1975 … … … 784 NOTE. The figures relate to a day in October on which the school meals census was taken for the years in question.