asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state in respect of each of the last three years for which the information is available the total sum expended on (a) food voucher schemes; (b) free milk schemes; the total number of recipients in each case; and the proportion of the amounts expended defrayed out of local taxation.
Written Answers. - Food Voucher and Free Milk Schemes.
The food voucher scheme administered by public assistance authorities came into operation on the 1st October, 1941. The amount recouped to local authorities in respect of the period from the 1st October, 1941, to the 31st March, 1942, was £77,088 12s. 6d.
No separate statistics are available in the Department as to the number of recipients, nor of the cost of administering the scheme which is borne by the local authority.
The expenditure on the provision of free milk for necessitous children was £91,070 in 1938-39, £92,513 in 1939-40, and £92,768 in 1940-41. The average number of recipients in these years was 56,000. There are no certified returns available in respect of expenditure defrayed from the rates on the administration of this scheme. It is estimated that such expenditure would average £4,500 per annum.