§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list those local authorities or educa 292W tion authorities which still continue to provide milk for primary school children above the prescribed age; and if she will indicate the basis on which this is financed.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonLocal education authorities may sell milk in school to pupils of any age, and I am sending my hon. Friend the names of the 34 authorities which were selling milk in October 1977, the latest date for which information is available. All local education authorities have a duty to provide free milk to pupils of any age in special schools, to pupils in other schools up to the end of the school year in which they reach the age of 7 and to junior pupils who need it for medical reasons. Since 1971 some local authorities without education responsibilities have exercised their power under the Local Government Acts to incur expenditure not exceeding the product of a 2p rate in the interests of the inhabitants of their area to provide free milk to cerain pupils outside these categories.
My Department does not have a complete list of the non-education authorities who supply milk in this way, but the following are known to do so:
- Greater Manchester County Council
- Basingstoke District Council
- Dacorum District Council
- North East Derby District Council
- North Hertfordshire District Council
- Swale District Council
- London borough of Greenwich
- London borough of Hackney
- London borough of Hammersmith
- London borough of Lambeth
- London borough of Lewisham
- London borough of Southwark.