§ Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Education if he will list the amount spent by each local education authority on the assistance to teachers in school meals supervision; and what proportion of expenditure per meal this represents for each local education authority.
§ Sir E. BoyleThis information cannot readily be made available. In any case the figures for individual authorities are 47W not strictly comparable with each other and would therefore be misleading if published. The overall cost of providing midday supervisory assistance during 1961–62 (the latest year for which the actual cost is known) was £2.1 million, representing 2.8 per cent. of the gross expenditure on dinners in maintained schools.
§ Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Education what would be the cost of raising the standard of assistance to teachers in school meals supervision in all schools to that under the local education authorities which attain the highest standards.
§ Sir E. BoyleTo provide mid-day supervisory assistance to the full standard allowed by Ministry Circular 349, which indicates the limits within which assistance may be provided at present, would cost approximately £500,000. I am discussing the revision of the present arrangements with the associations of local authorities and teachers.