§ 15. Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the uptake of school meals in the Province.
§ Mr. John PattenA survey in October 1980 showed that, out of a total of approxiamately 346,000 pupils in attendance, 151,000 or 44 per cent. took a school dinner; 63,000 of the meals were provided free of charge. There was a decline of 25.7 per cent. in the overall number taking school meals in October 1980 from the 1979 figure of 203,000. The number paying for their meals fell by 31.4 per cent. and the number receiving free meals dropped by 16 per cent.