§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the sample of local education authorities referred to in the answer of the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science on 11 November on which his Department bases its calculations of movements in school meals charges for inclusion in the retail prices index, together with details of any changes made in the sample since May 1979.
§ Mr. WaddingtonFor the purposes of compiling the retail prices index, a sample of about 50 local education authorities are asked to supply selected school meals prices each term.
The sample is representative of non-metropolitan counties, metropolitan districts and other local education authorities in the United Kingdom. It is not the practice to disclose the names of contributors of information for the retail prices index. The sample dates from the spring term of 1980; previously there was a national statutory charge for school meals.