HC Deb 08 June 1982 vol 25 cc45-6W
Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will study the work carried out at Edinburgh

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

The information on school meals, derived from the census held in January of each year, is given in the following table.

The figures include snack meals as well as the traditional two-course school dinner. In January 1980 there was virtually no provision of snack meals, but the greater discretion afforded to authorities by the Education Act 1980 has resulted in an increasing provision and by January 1981 4 per cent.—3.4 per cent. paid plus 0.6 per cent. free—of all pupils present on the day of the census had a snack meal. By January 1982 this had risen to 6.4 per cent.—5.1 per cent. paid plus 1.3 per cent. free.

Education authorities have a duty under the Education (Scotland) Acts to provide free of charge in the middle of the day whatever they consider requisite for pupils whose parents are receiving supplementary benefit or family income supplement and in other cases which they consider appropriate. I understand that authorities have adopted the following policies in discharging this duty:

  1. (a) Authorities whose policy is to provide free meals only for children whose families receive supplementary benefit or family income supplement: Grampian Highland Tayside.
  2. (b) Authorities using an uprated version of the former statutory income scale: Central Fife Lothian Strathclyde Orkney Shetland Western Isles.
  3. (c) Authorities providing free meals on the basis of policies falling between (a) and (b); Borders Dumfries and Galloway.

university on the prospects of production for an antibody to cystic fibrosis specific protein for possible application within the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John MacKay

As with other research work, once relevant results have been published and have gained acceptance assessment of possible application within the National Health Service will follow.