HC Deb 10 November 1971 vol 825 cc170-1W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what medical evidence it was decided that children between 7 and 11 years of age did not need free milk; if she will publish the evidence in the OFFICIAL REPORT; if she will seek powers to enable a non-education authority to use the product of a penny rate to supply free milk for these children; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs. Thatcher

The Chief Medical Officer was consulted about the Government's proposals and subsequently his Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food Policy endorsed his advice that it was not possible to predict whether or not the withdrawal of free school milk would have a prejudicial effect on the health of the age group generally, but that careful monitoring should detect effects, if any, at a stage when they were still mild and reversible. The new milk-in-school arrangements include provision for the continued supply of free milk to children aged 7–11 who are certified by a school medical officer to need it on health grounds. A sub-committee of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy is currently formulating proposals on monitoring the nutritional state of children, including children in the age group in question.

With regard to the last part of the Question local authorities, including those which are not education authorities, are empowered by Section 6 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act, 1963, to spend up to the product of a pre-decimal penny rate for any purpose which in their opinion is in the interests of their area or its inhabitants, excluding purposes for which they are authorised or required by any other enactment to make any payment.

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