§ Mr. Watkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in West Gloucestershire take school meals in 1977; and what were the figures for 1976, 1975 and 1974.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonThe information is not available in my Department but for Gloucestershire as a whole the figures are as follows:
Year (October) Pupils in receipt of schools meals at maintained schools 1974 66,907 1975 67,407 1976 65,977 Comparable figures for 1977 will be available later in the year.
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§ Mr. Watkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage of expenditure on education taken up by school meals subsidy.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonIn the financial year 1975–76, the school meals subsidy accounted for about 5.5 per cent. of total education expenditure.
§ Mr. Watkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average cost of a school meal to the State in 1977.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonThe latest available estimate of the gross average cost, which relates to November 1976, is 49p. Taking into account income from meals charges the net average cast to public funds is 37p.