§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will update the information on school meals given to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker), Official Report, 13th December 1976, columns 592–4.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonThe figures are as follows:
NET INCOME LIMITS FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS EXPRESSED AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE GROSS AND NET INDUSTRIAL EARNINGS 1976 1977* Per cent. Per cent. One child family Gross earnings 40.3 50.1 Net earnings 55.3 67.3 Two child family Gross earnings 49.3 59.9 Net earnings 65.9 78.6 Four child family Gross earnings 67.3 79.4 Net earnings 85.4 99.6 * Estimate. Notes:
1. "Net income limits for free school meals" are those laid down in the Department's Provision of Milk and Meals Regulations (November 1977 amendment) which sets out the arrangements for remitting the school meal charge.
2. "Average gross industrial earnings" in 1976 is the mean of the New Earnings Survey (NES) estimates of average earnings in April 1976 and April 1977 of full-time adult male manual workers. The figure for 1977 is the April 1977 NES figure updated to November 1977 by the monthly index of average earnings.
3. "Net earnings" are taken as "gross earnings" less income tax and national insurance. (For 1976, the income tax payments assume that the family was collecting family allowance, but these payments are not included in the figures for gross or net earnings.)
4. For purposes of calculating income tax, the ages of the children are taken respectively as: one under 11; one under 11 and one between 11 and 16; two under 11, one between 11 and 16 and one over 16.
5. The percentages are based on the point on the school meals remission scale at which the parent is no longer entitled to free school meals for any child.