HC Deb 22 May 1990 vol 173 cc149-50W
Mr. Gregory

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the average price of a school meal; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what is the number and percentage of free school meals provided; and if he will make a statement;

(3) how many and what percentage of children took school meals in 1989; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang

The information requested, taken from the annual school meal census carried out in January 1989, is as follows:

Information
(1) Average charge for a fixed price school meal 61p
(2) Number of pupils present on Census day 713,034
(3) Number of pupils taking meals 328,688
(4) (3) as a percentage of (2) 46.1
(5) Number of pupils receiving free meals 105,232
(6) (5) as a percentage of (2) 14.8

The proportion of children taking meals is greater than at the 1988 census.

Responsibility for the provision and content of meals lies with education authorities.