§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what study he has made of the evidence supplied to him showing a 61 per cent. fall-off in one year of the take-up of school meals and a 56 per cent. fall-off in the take-up of free meals; what steps he is taking to stop this fall-off; and if he will make a statement.
492W
MICROELECTRONICS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME PROJECTS COMMISSIONED FOR COMPLETION BY THE END OF THE 1980–81 ACADEMIC YEAR Pilot courses of in-service education and training Estimated cost (£thousands) 1. Welsh Joint Education Committee Series of short pilot courses for teachers and advisers in each of the Welsh LEAs. 80 2. New University of Ulster One 3 month course to train cadre of people to work in each of Northern Ireland's area boards and to produce training materials for testing on 3 short courses for teachers. 41 3. Council for Educational Technology Short pilot courses to provide in-service advisory support for teachers. 120 4. Consortium of West Midlands LEAs 1 year pilot course of full-time education and training for teachers from the consortium. 217.5 5. Consortium of West Midlands LEA Short pilot training course for advisers from the consortium. 9 6. Consortium of London and Kent LEAs. Short in-service pilot course on the use of computers for teachers from the consortium. 60 7. Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire LEAs 3 short residential pilot courses for teachers on microcomputer appreciation, on microcomputer use in specialised subject areas and on control. 40
Dr. BoysunAlthough there have been reports of a reduced take-up of school meals during the summer term, the latest available national figures for take-up of school meals in England, whether paid or free, relate to a day in October 1979. The full results of the October 1980 census will be available early in the new year. It is, however, for each LEA to decide what balance to strike between the level of service to provide, the charges to be made for it, and the need to reduce expenditure on the education service.