asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will carry out a survey on the number of children taking school meals (a) in Bolton metropolitan borough and (b) in the North-West; and if he will establish the number of these children for whom the school dinner is the one cooked meal they receive each day.

My Department has carried out a school meals census relating to the autumn term 1979, the results of which will be available shortly. It will not, however, provide the information asked for in the second part of the question and my right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to request authorities to provide it. It is open to individual authorities to collect such information if they consider it appropriate to do so.