§ MAJOR BOWLES (Middlesex, Enfield)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Local Government Board have authorised the Middlesex County Council to borrow moneys for technical education purposes to the extent of £3,150, when there is still a balance of over £11,000 unexpended of the sum received under the Customs and Excise Act for the current year for technical education purposes?
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLThe Local Government Board in September last authorised the borrowing by the Middlesex County Council, under the Local Government Act, 1888, and the Technical Instruction Act, 1889, of a sum of £3,150, repayable in 30 years, for the purchase of the freehold of certain buildings to be used for purposes of technical education. I am informed that the County Council authorised their Committee to carry out the work of technical education for the current year subject to the total expenditure not being more than £10,785, and that after the other claims for technical education for the year have been satisfied there would not be nearly sufficient of the £10,785 to pay the £3,150 for the Technical Institute. Independently of this, the County Council are not required to pay out of current income expenditure which is of the nature of capital expenditure, and the repayment of which can reasonably and properly be spread over a period of years. I am not aware what is the unexpended balance of the sum received under the Customs and Excise Act, but the County Council are not under any obligation to apply the whole sum received by them to technical education.