§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if employed persons will be able to obtain free school meals and other educational means-tested benefits on the basis of reduced income as a result of the three-day working week; and, if so, what will be the basis for assessing income.
§ Mr. RaisonThe statutory arrangements for remitting the charge for school meals on grounds of financial hardship are set out in the Provision of Milk and Meals Regulations: under these arrangements a parent is entitled to free school meals for children at school for any week in which his income falls below the prescribed levels or he receives supplementary benefit or family income supplement. There are no statutory arrangements for determining entitlement to other educational benefits—apart from awards for degree or equivalent courses—and it is for individual authorities to decide how far their arrangements need modification to meet the present employment situation. in the case of mandatory awards for degree or equivalent courses and most other higher education awards the parental contribution may be assessed on the current financial year's income, instead of the previous year's, if it is at least 20 per cent. less.