To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the results of the October 1987 census of school meals; arid what are the comparable figures for the previous census.
The information is as follows:
Maintained Schools (Including Nursery and Special): England
| ||||
October 1987
| October 1986
| |||
Number
| Per cent.
| Number
| Per cent.
| |
| Pupils in attendance | 6,210,640 | 1000 | 6,351,870 | 100·0 |
| Pupils taking meals on payment | 1,989,746 | 32·0 | 1,956,310 | 30·8 |
| Free | 1,101,132 | 17·7 | 1,143,817 | 18·0 |
| Total | 3,090,878 | 49·8 | 3,100,127 | 48·8 |
| Pupils bringing own food | 2,008,172 | 32·3 | 1,937,151 | 30·5 |
| Pupils having other arrangements | 1,111,590 | 17·9 | 1,314,592 | 20·7 |
An analysis of the returns shows the following proportions for primary and secondary pupils, as percentages of pupils in attendance:
Primary
| Secondary
| |||
1987
| 1986
| 1987
| 1986
| |
| Pupils taking school meals | 51·9 | 51·8 | 46·2 | 44·5 |
| Pupils bring own food | 39·4 | 37·3 | 24·4 | 23·3 |
| Pupils having other arrangements | 8·7 | 11·0 | 29·4 | 32·1 |
Detailed tabulations on the returns from local education authorities in England, from which these national totals were derived, are being placed in the Library.