§ Mr. Iain Millsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is yet able to announce the results of the October 1982 census of school meals; how they compare with those for 1981; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. BoysonThe information is as follows:
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Primary Secondary 1982 1981 1982 1981 Pupils taking school meals 51.8 52.4 46.1 44.6 Pupils bringing own food 34.2 32.3 22.8 22.7 The increase in the proportion of secondary school pupils taking a meal reflects the continuing introduction of cash cafeterias. Of those authorities which have converted all their secondary schools to this system, more than half have increased the take-up of paid meals compared with 1980—some by considerable amounts—with consequential savings in net expenditure. All but one of the authorities which continue with a traditional meal service in their secondary schools have shown a decline in paid take-up over the same period.
A number of authorities have, by a combination of positive measures, reduced their net expenditure on school meals in line with the Government's public expenditure plans. Other LEAs need to continue to examine the effectiveness of their school meals policies to avoid unnecessary strain on their other services and their ratepayers.
§ Mr. Arthur Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current price of school meals; and what it was in 1979.
§ Dr. BoysonUnder section 22 of the Education Act 1980, local education authorities are free to determine the form and content of school meals and the charges made. The average charge for a traditional two-course school meal in autumn 1982 was 50p. The national school meal charge in August 1979 was 30p.
§ Mr. Arthur Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria are used in deciding whether children should receive free school meals.
§ Dr. BoysonSection 22 of the Education Act 1980 places local education authorities under a duty to provide free meals to pupils whose parents receive supplementary benefit or family income supplement. It is, however, open to authorities to provide free meals in other cases where they consider this appropriate.
§ Mr. Arthur Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in Accrington are currently receiving free school meals; and what was the figure in 1978.
§ Dr. BoysonThe information on school meals take-up collected by the Department does not enable parts of local education authority areas to be identified.