§ Sir R. ASKEasked the Parliamentary: Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation which will authorise local education authorities to provide free milk to children attending public elementary schools in all cases where the parents of such children have been unemployed for more than six months?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMAs the existing law makes it possible to provide free milk for all necessitous children who are unable by reason of lack of food to take full advantage of the education provided for them, my Noble Friend is not satisfied that it is necessary to introduce legislation which would enable free milk to be given to all children of parents who have been unemployed more than six months,1018W irrespective of the physical condition of the children. The board have made it clear, in their Circular 1437, that in their opinion children should be selected for the provision of free meals or milk who show any symptoms, however slight, of subnormal nutrition.