§ 39. Sir C. Osborneasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will encourage education authorities to purchase home-grown potatoes for school meals in the place of imported potatoes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CroslandThe purchase of foodstuffs for the School Meals Service is a matter for the local education authority and is the subject of tender and contract to which I am not a party. In order to safeguard the Exchequer schools meals subsidy, I expect authorities to obtain the most favourable buying terms they can which are consistent with quality. The use of home-grown produce, including potatoes, must therefore depend upon its capacity to compete in the open market.
§ Mr. Onslowasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total cost of the school meals service in England and Wales during 1951 and 1964, respectively; and what proportion of the total was recovered from charges paid by children and teachers in each of these years.
§ Mr. CroslandThe information, derived from local education authorities' returns of actual and estimated income and expenditure, is as follows:
School Meals Service expenditure and income 1951–52 (actual) 1964–65 (estimated) £'000 £'000 A. Total expenditure, including capital expenditure from revenue and loan charges 38,871 102,950 B. Income from parents, teachers, etc 14,774 36,322 per cent. per cent. C. Income as proportion of expenditure 38.0 35.3
§ Mr. Howeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the difference in average annual total cost of educating a schoolchild in primary and secondary schools, respectively, according to whether or not such child makes use of the school meals service;
238W(2) what proportion of the average annual total cost of educating a schoolchild, in primary and secondary schools, respectively, is attributable to the cost of supplying books, stationery and classroom equipment for such child and to such child's use of the school meals service, assuming he is a regular user of such service.
§ Mr. CroslandFollowing is the information, in so far as it is available:
Primary Schools Secondary (under 16) Secondary (over 16) £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Education … 71 0 0 121 0 0 242 0 0 School Meals … 15 10 0 15 10 0 15 10 0 86 10 0 136 10 0 257 10 0 per cent. per cent. per cent. School Meals as a percentage of the total … 17.9 11.4 6.0 My Department does not collect separate cost figures for books, stationery and classroom equipment.
§ Mr. Howeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of children attending primary and secondary schools, respectively, makes regular use of the school meals service; and what proportion of those who make regular use of such service comes from homes at which both parents are in regular employment.
§ Mr. CroslandInformation on the proportion of children making regular use of the school meal service is not available. Regulations made under Section 49 of the 1944 Education Act provide for the exclusion by the local education authority of any pupil who avails himself so rarely of the benefits of the service that waste or undue expense is involved in catering for him and I assume that authorities are taking appropriate action under this Regulation.
The information required to answer the second part of the Question is not available.
§ Sir C. Osborneasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why new potatoes from the United Arab Republic are being served in school meals in villages in North Lincolnshire when there are supplies available on the surrounding farms; what is the price of these foreign potatoes compared with that 239W of home-grown supplies; whether he is satisfied that they are of adequate quality; what attempt was made to get local supplies; if he will ensure that local growers will be given a chance to tender; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CroslandI understand that the Lincolnshire (Lindsey) Education Authority's contracts with the supplier specifies the provision of home-grown potatoes for the school meal service. At one stage, the contractor could not supply English old potatoes of satisfactory quality in sufficient quantity or new potatoes of adequate size, and the Authority agreed to accept imported potatoes of satisfactory quality and size for a period of one week only at the price specified in the contract. English new potatoes are now being supplied in the Authority's schools. The Authority invites public tenders every six months and it is open to all local suppliers or growers to compete.