§ SIR ANDREW AGNEWsaid, he wished to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council for Education whether it is his intention to propose the ex- 1473 tension of the Capitation Grant to Schools in Scotland. He would also inquire whether the Grant will be applicable to Ragged and Industrial Schools in Scotland.
§ MR. ADDERLEYsaid, that several applications had been made from Scotland for an extension of the Grant. The reason why it had not been extended, not merely to Scotland, but at first to large towns in England, was that legislative measures were being attempted in both cases, when Capitation Grants were introduced, for providing funds for National Education in other ways. If it might be presumed that these measures were now dropped, there could be no reason why Scotland, as already the large towns in England, should not be put on the same footing as other places with respect to the Grant. No estimate, however, would be proposed this year on the subject, because the Committee of Council on Education contemplated the revision of the Capitation and some other Grants with the view of limiting their excessive accumulation in the case of very large and rich schools, and thus preventing that which was primarily intended for poor schools from being mischievously wasted. The Committee of Council deemed it desirable that a Minute for that purpose should be laid before Parliament; after which Scotland would be included with England in one and the same provision as to the Capitation Grant. The Ragged Schools in Scotland would, of course, be entitled, like the Ranged Schools in England, to the Capitation Grants allotted to such Schools.
§ SIR ANDREW AGNEWWill no Grant be available this year for Scotland?
§ MR. ADDERLEYThere cannot be, for the reason I have stated.