HC Deb 11 November 1991 vol 198 cc380-1W
Mr. Norman Hogg

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children are receiving free school meals in each of the education authorities in Scotland expressed as a percentage of the total number of children taking school meals.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The information requested, taken from the 1991 annual school meals census return, is as follows:

Percentage of children taking school meals who receive free meals
Number receiving free meals Percentage of total receiving meals within each Region
Borders 650 12.2
Central 5,170 29.7
Dumfries and Galloway 1,769 14.1
Fife 6,432 24.9
Grampian 4,375 14.0
Highland 2,881 22.1
Lothian 12,330 28.2
Strathclyde 61,169 39.7
Tayside 6,199 28.2
Orkney 179 9.2
Shetland 160 5.9
Western Isles 601 23.6
All Scotland 101,915 30.7

Mr. Norman Hogg

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by educational authority the number and percentage of secondary schools which now operate a cash cafeteria system for their pupils for the midday meal.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The information requested, taken from the 1991 annual school meals census returns, is as follows:

Number of secondary schools operating a cash cafeteria system
Region Number of secondary schools Number offering cash cafeteria system Percentage
Borders 9 9 100
Central 19 19 100
Dumfries and Galloway 16 16 100
Fife 19 19 100
Grampian 38 38 100
Highland 27 23 85
Lothian 51 51 100
Strathclyde 182 177 97
Tayside 32 32 100
Orkney 6 2 33
Shetland 9 1 11
Western Isles 16 6 38
All Scotland 424 393 93

Mr. Norman Hogg

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans his Department has to improve the diet of Scottish schoolchildren.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

An objective of health education in schools is to encourage pupils to adopt a well-balanced and healthy diet. The place of health education in the curriculum is being reviewed as part of the 5–14 development programme.

Mr. Norman Hogg

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to reintroduce the nutritional requirement for school meals; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Nutritional standards for school meals have never been prescribed in Scotland.