Free School Meals

Mr. Laws
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many and what proportion of children in English schools were entitled to free school meals in each year from 1978-79 to 2007-08; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what his latest estimate is of the (a) proportion and (b) number of English school pupils who are eligible for free school meals (i) in total, (ii) by region and (iii) by local education authority.

Jim Knight
The available information has been placed in the Library.