§ DR. CLARKI beg to ask the Lord Advocate why the returns of the allocation of the contributions to Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889, the Local Taxation Act, 1890, and the Education and Local Taxation Account (Scotland) Act, 1892, for the years ending 31st March 1897 and 1898 are not published; what was the amount paid under sub-section (6) of section 2 of the Act of 1892; and what was the sum paid to (1) school boards and (2) voluntary schools during the year ending 31st March 1898?
MR. GRAHAM MURRAYAs regards the first part of the honourable Member's Question, the returns therein referred to have, as hitherto laid before Parliament, included columns showing how the local authorities applied the amounts received by them respectively out of the Local Taxation (Scotland) Account. Considerable difficulty and consequent delay have occurred in the collection of these particulars. After consideration of the matter, the Secretary for Scotland proposes to cause a Return to be laid before Parliament for the two years specified 1302 these particulars, but showing in summary the payments into and out of the Local Taxation (Scotland) Account. This can be done within the next fortnight, leaving the Return of the application of the money by the local authorities to be subsequently issued. As regards the second portion of the Question, there was no residue available for payment to the Scotch Education Department under section 2 (b) of the 1892 Act for the year 1896–7, but in 1897–8 there was a residue of 116,202 0s. 11d. which was duly paid over. As regards the third part of the Question, the statistical tables of the Department showing the grants paid to different classes of schools, are drawn up for each year ending 30th September, not for that ending 31st March. The following is the statement of grants paid to school boards and Voluntary schools respectively during the year ended 31st March 1898: School board, £984,049 4s. 9d.; Voluntary schools, £157,922 8s. 9d.