asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of those families entitled to free welfare milk on low income grounds do not claim it; and how much revenue is saved as a result.

The total number of people in the United Kingdom claiming free milk on low income grounds rose from 16,600 in 1977 to 29,630 in 1980, an increase of nearly 80 per cent. Up-to-date statistics on the number of potential beneficiaries are, however, not available at present and it is therefore not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the proportion of families not claiming it.