§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many milk vouchers have been issued in 1976, 1977, and to date in 1978 to needy families for exchange at local clinics; and how many packets of milk powder or cans of powder have been supplied;
(2) what criterion is adopted in deciding what constitutes a needy family which can claim milk vouchers for exchange at local clinics.
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§ Mr. DeakinsThose eligible to claim milk tokens for free welfare milk are:
- a. expectant mothers and children under age 5 years and I month in families who are receiving supplementary benefit or family income supplement or are in special need because of low income (see below);
- b. expectant mothers who have two children under age 5 years and 1 month, regardless of family income;
- c. all but two of any children under 5 years 1 month in one family regardless of family income;
- d. handicapped children between age 5 and 16 years who are not in paid employment and who, because of their disability, are not registered at a school or special school.
Special need on grounds of low income is calculated in the same way as is entitlement to supplementary benefit except that £4 of weekly earnings are disregarded for two parent families (£6 for single-parent families) and there are included in the calculation of an applicant's weekly requirements:
- a. the standard price of milk at the rate of one pint a day (currently 87½p a week) and the cost of vitamin supplements (3p a week);
- b. the sum of £2.50 (known as the tolerance margin) and
- c. if applicable, an amount for mortgage capital repayments.
In the calculation of weekly requirements account may also be taken of special expenses such as insurance or hire purchase payments.
Information about the number of milk tokens issued is not recorded centrally and cannot be collected without disproportionate cost. However the number of beneficiaries suggests that 20 million tokens were issued in England in 1975 and 20.5 million in 1976—the latest figures available. These tokens could have been exchanged for liquid milk from the beneficiaries' regular milk supplier or for dried milk from maternity and child health clinics or welfare food distribution centres.
The number of packs of dried milk issued by clinics and welfare food distribution centres in England in exchange for tokens was as follows:
1975 303,591 1976 428,358 1977 1,484,753 1978 (1st quarter only) 505,931