§ 29. Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will detail 1978–79 and subsequent arrangements for reimbursing local authorities who are providing free school milk for 7-to-11-year-olds.
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§ Miss Margaret JacksonAs my right hon. Friend said in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Lich-field and Tamworth (Mr. Grocott) on 25th May—[Vol. 950, cols. 632–633]—expenditure on free milk for junior pupils during the autumn term 1978 and the spring term 1979 will be fully reimbursed by means of direct grants from the Department to cover the cost of the milk itself and an element for overheads; provision of this milk in the financial year 1978–79 will therefore cost authorities nothing. For 1979–80 onwards, authorities' expenditure—net of the EEC subsidy on school milk which can be claimed separately from the Department—will form part of relevant expenditure for rate support grant in the normal way. I am sending my lion. Friend a copy of the letter which the Department sent to chief education officers explaining these arrangements.