School Meals (Hansard, 12 December 1985)

§ Mr. Pendry
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give figures for each year since 1975 for primary and secondary maintained schools in England for the total number of pupils in attendance, the number of pupils taking school meals on payment and free and the number of pupils bringing their own food.

§ Mr. Dunn
The information requested is shown in the Department's annual published school meals census, copies of which are available in the Library.

§ Mr. Pendry
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate for primary and secondary maintained schools in England the number of pupils receiving free school meals where the entitlement derives from families' (a) receipt of supplementary benefit, (b) receipt of family income supplement and (c) local authority discretionary powers.

§ Mr. Dunn
It is possible to estimate only the broad order of magnitude, as there are fluctuations from year to year and within the year in the number of pupils entitled to a free school meal and the proportion who take up the entitlement. At the time of the October 1984 school meals census in England an estimated breakdown of the main categories of entitlement would have been as follows (to the nearest 10,000):

Number

(a) Pupils whose parents were in receipt of supplementary benefit 680,000

(b) Pupils whose parents were in receipt of family income supplement 170,000

(c) Other pupils 300,000

1,150,000

	Number
(a) Pupils whose parents were in receipt of supplementary benefit	680,000
(b) Pupils whose parents were in receipt of family income supplement	170,000
(c) Other pupils	300,000
	1,150,000