§ MR. CALDWELL (Glasgow, St. Rollox)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the school fees actually collected for Lenzie Board School amounted to £930 in 1887–8, and to £900 in 1888–9, whilst there was only an average attendance, during these years, of 200 children; whether his attention has been called to Return 84, from which it appears that the average attendance for the four weeks ended 21st February last is given as 151.6, that the school fees, based on such average attendance, amount to £6 13s. weekly, or to under £350 per annum of 52 weeks, as against £900 truly received, and that "the school does not earn grants above Standard VI.," and the column for attendance "over Standard VI." is left blank; whether it is allowable to exclude subjects taught over Standard VI. and specific subjects, in making the Return of school fees required from School Boards, and in calculating the 9d. per week limit; whether this course had the sanction of the Scotch Education Department; and whether the Comptroller and Auditor General was informed that the amounts were made up on that principle. The 501 hon. Member also asked whether it is the case, as stated in page 12 of the Six-teenth Annual Report by the Accountant for Scotland to the Scotch Education Department, for year ended 15th May, 1888, that the school fees received for Lenzie Board School for that year amounted to £944 15s.; whether it is the case, as stated in the Report of the Committee of Council on Education in Scotland, for year ended 30th September, 1888, page 383, that the average attendance at that school for the year was only 176, showing an income of £5 7s. 4d. per annum per pupil in average attendance; and if he will explain how, in such circumstances, Lenzie Board School is on the list of State-aided schools in receipt of Government grant, notwithstanding the provisions of the Statute limiting such grant to schools where the school fees do not exceed 9d. per pupil per week?
THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR SCOTLAND (Mr. MOIR, T. STORMONTH DARLING,) Edinburgh and Aberdeen UniversitiesThe hon. Member has two questions on the Paper relating to Lenzie Academy, which he will perhaps allow me to answer jointly. The fees collected in that school amounted, according to the Accountant's Report, to £950 14s. 8d. in 1887, and to £944 15s. in 1888. But this does not agree with the Return made to the Department, and doubtless includes the fees paid in the Upper Department of the School, which is quite separate, and for which no grants are claimed. The average attendance, according to the Returns to the Department was 170 in 1888 and 201 in 1889. The Department had some doubt as to the scale of fees being in conformity with the Code, and thought it necessary to inquire carefully into the matter. But the combination Board was able to show that the average fee in the grant earning Department, calculated on the basis laid down by the Public Accounts Committee, was under 9d. a week. The eligibility of the school for annual grants must be determined upon the Returns for the school year, and not for the four weeks included in the Return (No. 84) for which the hon. Member moved. But the Board has been warned that the conditions as to fees must be strictly interpreted, even should this involve loss of grant to the school. 502 There is nothing to prevent school managers from excluding the fees paid over the Sixth Standard from these Returns to the Department if no grant is claimed above that limit. All the data upon which the grant was calculated and paid, and the correspondence connected with it, have been submitted to the Comptroller and Auditor General.