§ Mr. Wardasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to introduce a system of cash payments to parents of children entitled to free school meals in schools where the unit cost of meals reaches unacceptable levels.
§ Dr. BoysonNo. Section 22 of the Education Act 1980 requires local education authorities to make free provision as they consider requisite for pupils whose parents receive supplementary benefit or family income supplement; and, in other cases, to remit the whole or part of the charge if they consider it appropriate to do so. Additional arrangements involving cash payments should not be necessary.