§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was(a) in total, (b) per school and (c) per pupil of implementing the Government's National School Fruit Scheme for each year of its operation. [143613]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe National School Fruit Scheme has been progressively scaled up over the last four years, with schools joining during the course of each year. It is impossible to state the exact cost per school as this will vary, but the table shows the total cost of the National School Fruit Scheme in each year, with the number of schools and pupils taking part at the end of each year.
The full-year cost per pupil has fallen as schools in each region have joined the scheme. The total annual cost per pupil in schools joining in spring 2002 was £26; for schools due to join in spring 2004 it is £19.
895W
Cost (£ million) Schools Pupils 2000–01 0.5 33 6,000 2001–02 1.0 500 80,000 2002–03 42 (over 3 years1) 6,400 616,200 2003–04 8,680 1,097,000 1 met by the lottery-funded New Opportunities Fund.
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of eligible(a) schools and (b) local education authorities have taken part in the Government's National School Fruit scheme since it began. [143614]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonEligibility for joining the National School Fruit Scheme pilots has been extended region-by-region. At present, 7,586 schools in 87 local education authorities (LEAs) are taking part out of 7,938 invited to join, which is over 95 per cent. of schools and 100 per cent. of LEAs.