§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her latest estimate of the cost of school meal subsidies during the current financial year; what is the estimated proportion of the subsidy to the cost of the meal during the current year; and what were the comparable figures for the amount and proportion of the subsidy in each of the past 20 years.
§ Miss Margaret Jackson£362 million for England and Wales. The average subsidy to the paying pupil during 1977–78 is estimated to be 57 per cent. of the cost of the dinner. Comparable figures for the past 20 years are as follows:
Year Subsidy Amount £m Subsidy Per cent. 1957–58 31 48 1958–59 33 49 1959–60 35 47 1960–61 38 49 1961–62 42 51 1962–63 46 53 1963–64 47 52 1964–65 54 53 1965–66 62 56 1966–67 70 59 1967–68 81 59 1968–69 74 43 1969–70 80 47 1970–71 87 43 1971–72 96 37 1972–73 123 43 1973–74 171 53 1974–75 256 62 1975–76 328 62 1976–77 391 67