_Ibid._, clause 2. The Select Committee to which the Bill had been referred, while of opinion "that the local education authority ought to undertake the administration rather than the Boards of Guardians," nevertheless recommended that it should be the duty of the Guardians to recover the cost from neglectful parents. (Report of Select Committee on the Education (Provision of Meals) Bills (England and Scotland), 1906, pp. viii., x.) They accordingly inserted a provision to this effect (_see_ the Education (Provision of Meals) Bill as amended by the Select Committee, No. 331 of 1906, clause 2). This was amended in the committee stage in the House of Commons. (_Hansard_, December 7, 1906, Vol. 166, pp. 1439-1444. Footnote 169: 6 Edward VII., c. 57, clause 4. Footnote 170: _Ibid._, clause 3. Footnote 171: _Ibid._, clause 6. The Bill, when it left the Commons, applied to Scotland as well as England and Wales. The Lords, however, struck out the clause extending its application to Scotland.[172] The Commons, in view of the fact that the session was so far advanced, agreed to this amendment, but under protest.[173] It was not till two years later that the Scottish School Boards, by the Education (Scotland) Act of 1908,[174] received power to spend the rates on the provision of food. Footnote 172: _Hansard_, December 20, 1906, Vol. 167, pp. 1662-1670. Footnote 173: _Ibid._, December 21, 1906, pp. 1865-1881. Footnote 174: 8 Edward VII., c. 63 (December 21, 1908). A Bill was introduced by the Government in 1907, but was withdrawn. (_Hansard_, March 20, 1907, Vol. 171, pp. 880-883.) For an account of the provision made in Scotland see Appendix II. The Provision of Meals Act marks an important point in the history of school feeding. The experiments of forty years had amply demonstrated the impossibility of dealing with the evils of underfeeding through voluntary agencies alone. Parliament was indeed still convinced that voluntary organisations were the best bodies to supply the necessary food. The proposal that the duty of providing meals should be cast entirely upon Local Education Authorities, relying only on public funds, had indeed, as the Select Committee of the House of Commons declared, not been "seriously suggested." Such a course would obviously result in the extinction of all voluntary societies, a result "from every point of view ... much to be deplored."[175] Only where voluntary subscriptions failed might the Local Authority provide the necessary funds. Even in this case there was no compulsion on the authority to take any action whatsoever. Still, with all these limitations, the Act involved the assumption, however partial and incomplete, by the State of the function of securing to its children, by one means or another, the necessary minimum, not only of education, but also of food. Footnote 175: