CAB129-78 — Page 181

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196

Page 82qqunt of rises in food costs (increase from 5date 1&2 vf 3250, to

7d. in 1951 and to 9d. in 1953), and the percentage of children taking the school dinner has not again reached the peak figure of that year.

4. To-day, mid-day meals are available to the children attending all but 700 of the 30,000 maintained schools in England and Wales and they are taken by about 46 per cent of the children - by about 42 per cent on payment and 4 per cent free of charge, Arrangements for the remission of the charge of 9d. in cases of hardship are made by the local education authorities, who draw up their own income scales.

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