Mr. Bernard Taylor:

asked the Minister of Education if he will give the number of local education authorities supplying meals in elementary and secondary schools in England and Wales and the percentage of children partaking of meals on school premises, giving the figures for elementary and secondary schools separately.

The number of authorities supplying dinners to pupils in secondary schools is 140 and the number of pupils having dinner at school in October, 1944, was 56 per cent. of those present on the day of the return. The number of authorities providing school dinners in elementary schools is 313 and the number of pupils having dinner in school canteens in October last was 31.2 per cent. of those present on the day of the return. In the great majority of cases the meals are served on the school premises.