HC Deb 22 November 1971 vol 826 cc287-8W
Mr. Golding

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she can yet state how many children received school meals in September, 1971, compared with September, 1970.

Mr. van Straubenzee

Full results of last month's survey are not yet available but returns from 153 of the 163 local education authorities in England and Wales show that on the day of the survey 4345,134 pupils or 59.6 per cent. of those present took the school meal compared with 4,817,956 or 67.7 per cent. in the same areas in September, 1970.