§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children under the age of five years in(a) day care, (b) local authority infant classes, (c) local authority nursery schools or classes, (d) private or voluntary nursery schools or classes and (e) pre-school playgroups benefit 190W from the Welfare Food Scheme; and what is the total cost of providing free milk to children in England under the age of five years through the Welfare Food Scheme in (i) schools and (ii) day care. [142113]
§ Yvette CooperThe information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The total annual cost of the nursery milk element of the welfare food scheme was£13,924,000 in England in 1999–2000. This reimburses day care providers who claim under the scheme with the cost of one third of a pint of milk per day. The table shows the percentage of money paid in November 2000 to establishment types as recorded.
Establishment type Percentage of total cost to welfare food scheme in November 2000 Registered day care 49.52 Local education authority school 41.46 Registered childminder 4.34 Local education authority nursery 1.75 Grant maintained school 1.49 Independent non-maintained school 0.52 Other 0.92 Total 100 In addition, children under the age of five in families in receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seekers Allowance receive a token which is exchangeable for a pint of milk a day.