asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, if he will issue a circular to education authorities defining responsibility of head teachers and teaching staff for the administration of milk to children in need ; and if he will make a statement.

No. This is a matter for local education authorities themselves to settle.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the latest figures available of the number of children in need who are receiving free school milk ; what proportion of schools were in fact providing this milk ; and if he will make a statement.

In autumn 1978, the latest year for which information is available, some 14,000 pupils in 73 local education authorities in England received free milk on health grounds, representing 0·18 per cent of pupils present. The Department has no information for subsequent years nor about the number of schools involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received about the ineffectiveness of the distribution system of milk to children at school in need ; and if he will make a statement

None, though some representations have been made by parents and others about the withdrawal of free school milk by a number of local education authorities.