§ MR. WOODHEAD (York, W. R., Spen Valley)asked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether, under the present Government, or during the period of Lord Salisbury's administration, the Education Department has given instructions to Her Majesty's Inspectors to reduce or limit the number of schools receiving the "Excellent" merit grant; and, whether there is any uniformity of standard in awarding such merit grants,—as between different Inspectors; as between Town and Country; and as between Board Schools and Denominational Schools?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT (Sir LYON PLAYFAIR) (Leeds, S.)No instructions have been issued to Her Majesty's Inspectors to reduce or limit the number of schools receiving the "Excellent" merit grant. The greatest possible efforts are made to secure uniformity of standard all through the country and among all classes of schools in awarding the merit grant; and I have reason to believe that they are to a great degree successful, although, no doubt, as the decisions depend upon individual judgments, the uniformity as between different Inspectors cannot be absolute.