HC Deb 25 May 1988 vol 134 cc165-6W
Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils in(a) Durham city and (b) the county of Durham lost their entitlement to free school meals in the last month.

Mr. Dunn

Information for Durham city is not separately available. In October 1987 about 8,660 pupils in the county of Durham received free school meals because their families were in receipt of family income supplement, or through the operation of LEA discretion. From 11 April the families of those in the former category will receive a cash benefit of £2.55 per week throughout the year under the new family credit scheme, which will also cover many in the latter category. Children from families in receipt of, or who are themselves in receipt of, income support (the successor to supplementary benefit) continue to be eligible for free school meals. Nationally it is estaimated that about 100,000 more school age children will benefit under the family credit scheme compared with those who currently receive free school meals under family income supplement and LEA discretionary schemes combined.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has of how many children within the Leicestershire education authority area have lost entitlement to free school meals as a result of the benefit changes which came into effect in April.

Mr. Dunn

In October 1987 about 4,840 pupils in Leicestershire received free school meals because their families were in receipt of family income supplement, or through the operation of LEA discretion. From 11 April this year the families of those in the former category receive a cash benefit of £2.55 per week throughout the year under the new family credit scheme, which will also cover many in the latter category. Children from families in receipt of, or who are themselves in receipt of, income support (the successor to supplementary benefit) continue to be eligible for free school meals. Nationally it is estimated that about 100,000 more school age children will benefit under the family credit scheme compared with those who currently receive free school meals under family income supplement and LEA discretionary schemes combined.