HC Deb 04 May 1950 vol 474 cc229-30W
125. Mr. Llewellyn

asked the Minister of Education to state, in figures, the number of school dinners served daily to children in Cardiff, Glamorgan and

PUPILS IN OVERSIZE CLASSES
Age range class Size of class
31–35 36–40 41–45 46–50 51 and over Total
(a) Entirely under 5 … 16,061 8,620 2,814 1,062 584 29,141
(b) All others except (c) … — — 793,508 559,521 86,340 1,439,369
(c) Entirely over 11 … 584,381 441,808 170,289 45,563 7,308 1,249,349
Total … 600,442 450,428 966,611 606,146 94,232 2,717,859

These figures relate to the position in maintained primary and secondary schools in January, 1949, the latest date for which information is available. It Wales, respectively, before and since the price of meals in schools was raised; and what action he proposes to help the children of the poorest to have an equal opportunity of obtaining decent dinners.

Mr. Tomlinson

The arrangements for the poorest children to have free meals are entirely unaffected by the change in price; in February, 18 per cent. of the dinners in Wales were free.

Following are the figures:

NUMBER OF CHILDREN PRESENT IN SCHOOL AND NUMBER HAVING SCHOOL DINNER ON A DAY IN OCTOBER, 1949 AND IN FEBRUARY, 1950.
— OCTOBER FEBRUARY
Present Having Dinner Present Having Dinner
Cardiff 30,369 7,613 28,210 7,011
Glamorgan 106,625 53,974 99,752 45,832
Wales 358,441 205,086 334,674 178,481