HL Deb 27 July 1999 vol 604 cc178-9WA
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the event of the European Union discontinuing the school milk subsidy scheme, whether they will undertake to protect free welfare milk so that local authorities can continue to be fully reimbursed for nursery class milk. [HL3736]

Baroness Hayman

Under the Welfare Food Scheme, children aged under five years may receive free of charge one third of a pint of milk on each day they spend two or more hours away from their home in certain approved day care facilities, including nursery schools. The benefit is delivered through day care providers supplying the milk and reclaiming the cost.

The rules of the scheme are currently set out in the Welfare Food Regulations 1996 (as amended). These provide for the value of any subsidy, such as the European Union School Milk Subsidy, to be deducted from the nursery milk claim. This reduces the net cost of the milk due to be reimbursed by the Department of Health. If the day care providers are not eligible for a subsidy or if the EU School Milk Subsidy were to be withdrawn, then, under current legislation, they would be reimbursed the full cost of the milk.