§ Mr. Joel Barnettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will reconsider her policy regarding the provision of school meals, in view of the discrepancies which exist in the rate of provision, as for example in Lancashire where the rate is 16.3 per cent., compared 350W with 21.3 per cent. for the North-West as a whole.
§ Mrs. ThatcherNo. The percentage quoted relate to free meals only. The prescribed arrangements for the remission of the charge for school meals apply equally to all areas, and differences in take-up between areas arise from other factors.