Free School Meals

HC Deb 11 December 1995 vol 268 cc536-7W

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children were in receipt of free school meals, by region, in each of the last five years. [4922]

Mrs. Gillan

Information on the take-up of free school meals in maintained schools in England in the years 1991 to 1995 is shown in the following table:

Pupils taking free school meals in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools by region in England 1991–95
Position in January each year
	1991	1992	1993	1994	11995
North	80,111	88,703	95,102	99,500	101,456
North West	165,598	191,052	207,690	217,154	218,516
East Anglia	20,844	27,657	33,369	35.868	36,607
Yorkshire and Humberside	102,672	120,243	130,571	136,066	137,382
West Midlands	110,564	133,311	148,944	155,509	154,062
East Anglia	57,511	68,415	78,212	83,624	85.763
Greater London	136,456	169,787	196,965	219.229	230,650
Other South East	95,582	134,528	167,783	184,492	185.469
South West	52,075	68,272	82,690	85,684	84.932
England	821,413	1,001,968	1,141,326	1,217,126	1,234,684
1Provisional.