§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Education what precautions are taken by his Department to ensure that the free milk now supplied in increased measure in the national schools is safeguarded against the possibility of carrying milk-borne infections to which younger children are especially prone; and what instructions are given to teachers distributing this milk that they should be satisfied that it is 168W adequately pasteurised or otherwise heat-treated before being consumed.
§ Mr. TomlinsonIt would not be appropriate to place on teachers the responsibility for the freedom of school milk from milk-borne infection. Under the Provision of Milk and Meals Regulations the source and quality of the milk supplied to schools must be approved by the Medical Officer of Health. In accordance with the policy laid down in the White Paper, Measures to Improve the Quality of the Nation's Milk Supply (Command 6454, 1943, paragraph 34), the Ministry of Food, in co-operation with the medical officers of health and the local education authorities, is endeavouring to arrange for schools to be supplied with heat treated or tuberculin tested milk where neither of these types is at present supplied, and at the end of last year 93.8 per cent. of the school milk for grant-aided schools was heat treated or tuberculin tested.