§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the local education authorities who have contracted out their school meals service to private companies; and what has been the change in employment as a result.
§ Mr. ForthThe Department does not collect this information. It is up to LEAs to decide whether they wish to delegate the funds for this service to schools. LEAs providing school meals directly are subject to the competition provisions of the Local Government Act 1988. A survey by the Local Government Management Board, published in November 1992, showed that local authorities' direct service organisations have won 91.6 per cent. by number of school catering contracts and 97.2 per cent. by value.