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Mr. Wicks
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average price of a school meal in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in cash and real terms in each year since 1979.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
The average cost to pupils of school meals is not collected centrally. Pupils can obtain either a fixed meal at a set charge or a cafeteria style meal for which the charge will vary depending on the individual pupil's choice. The tables give details of the fixed price meal charge levied by each regional authority in each year since 1979 in cash and in real terms. The level of the charge made is at the discretion of the regional authority.The information is as follows:
| Year | Cash (net expenditure) (£thousands) | Adjusted to 1992–93 prices using the GDP deflator (£ thousands) |
| 1978–79 | 34,057 | 95,064 |
| 1979–80 | 37,393 | 90,761 |
| 1980–81 | 38,495 | 77,825 |
| 1981–82 | 39,896 | 73,553 |
| 1982–83 | 40,234 | 69,246 |
| 1983–84 | 41,828 | 68,803 |
| 1984–85 | 41,859 | 65,532 |
| 1985–86 | 42,847 | 63,606 |
| 1986–87 | 44,368 | 64,197 |
| 1987–88 | 46,503 | 63,393 |
| 1988–89 | 46,046 | 58,510 |
| 1989–90 | 50,119 | 59,760 |
| 1990–91 | 50,615 | 55,875 |
| 1991–92 | 59,403 | 61,482 |