asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the arrangements made by local education authorities to continue to provide free school milk and meals in their schools; and if he will itemise the authorities and the arrangements they have made.

Every local education authority is subject to the statutory minimum requirement, under the Education Act 1980, to make free provision at midday for children whose parents receive supplementary benefit or family income supplement. Beyond that, the provision of school meals and milk, including free provision, is a matter for local determination and my Department does not have comprehensive information about how local education authorities are carrying out their new functions.