§ MR. ELLIS GRIFFITH (Anglesey)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury what is the sum total of rates paid in respect of elementary schools other than board schools, distinguishing counties and boroughs, in the last year for which such returns are available?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI have not been able to obtain for the hon. Gentleman all the figures he desires, but I have made inquiries in respect to certain representative districts in England, excluding London, the result of which is as follows:—The inquiries were in regard to boroughs and unions, some of which were purely rural and others partly rural and partly urban. Taking 41 cases, in 19 of which three are large boroughs, the rates paid are nominal or amount to nothing; in seven cases, of which two are large boroughs, the rates are very low; in ten, of which five are large boroughs, the rates are moderate; and in five, of which three are large boroughs, the rating is up to the full estimated rateable value. I. find, from 280 such information as I can collect in regard to London, that the actual amount payable in such rates is a little over £10,000 a year.
In reply to Mr. T. LOUGH (Islington, W.),
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYsaid he would inquire whether, without enormous labour and expense, further statistics could be given.