§ Mr. Waltersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total cost, including administration, to the National Health Service of providing the welfare milk scheme via area health authority clinics in 1979, or the last year for which figures are available;
(2) how many tokens for free powdered baby milk under the welfare milk scheme were cashed last year by lower income group families and large families.
§ Sir George YoungThe latest year for which information is available is 1978–79, when the total net cost to the Department of dried milk provided through area health authority clinics under the welfare food service was £1,693,000 equivalent to some 1,174,000 tokens. Related area health authority costs of administration are not separately identifiable, nor is it possible to break down the figures above by category of beneficiary.