§ Mr. Clemitsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations she has received from representative bodies in the dairy farming industry as a result of the refusal of a number of education authorities to implement the school milk scheme.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonMy right hon. Friend has received no direct representations from representative bodies in the
468W(2) how many children paid for their school meals in the county districts of the Greater Manchester county in the years 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonThe numbers of day pupils taking free and paid dinners were as follows:
dairy farming industry but she is well aware of their disappointment, which she shares, over the number of local education authorities choosing not to provide free milk for junior pupils. Dairy industry representatives have been keeping in very close touch with officials of my Department on developments related to the extension of the free milk scheme and there is excellent co-operation in seeking to obtain the maximum benefit from the EEC milk subsidy.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if privately fostered children whose natural parents or guardians default on their payments to the foster parents are eligible for free school meals; and, if so, on what criteria.
469W
§ Miss Margaret JacksonWhere parental net income is below the level prescribed in the Provision of Milk and Meals Regulations, children are entitled to receive free school meals in accordance with those regulations. If the natural parents of children being privately fostered default on their payments to the foster parents, and their contributions towards their children's school dinners cannot be recovered from them, a local education authority would be able to consider an application for free school meals based on the foster parents' net income. If that income were below the prescribed level, the children would be eligible for free school meals.