§ MR. CALDWELLI beg to ask the Lord Advocate, whether, in estimating that a sum of £26,000 per annum would be required from the Imperial Exchequer in order to raise the Scotch fee grant from 10s to 12s. per head, the Department had taken into consideration not only the £40,000 under the Act of 1890, but also the balance of the Probate Duty under the Act of 1889 as amended by the Act of 1892, and that the average attendance for 1897 was 611,205, thus requiring only £61,120 to meet the deficiency of that year; whether the Probate Duty is an increasing quantity, and in what ratio is that fund increasing or otherwise as compared with the increase of the average schools attendance entitled to the fee grant; upon what principle it is estimated that only £5,000 and not £26,000 is required this year to keep the Scotch 485 Fee Grant up to 12s. per head; And, whether Scotland will be credited with the difference if there has been a miscalculation?
§ * MR. A. G. MURRAYIn making the estimate of the amount required to raise the Fee Grant to twelve shillings, the Department did take into account both the £40,000 under the Act of 1890, and the possible balance under the Act of 1892; and it also took into consideration the estimated average attendance. The average attendance is an uncertain quantity, and the balance under the Act of 1892 has fluctuated between nothing for the years 1894–95 and 1896–97, and £16,202 for 1897–98. The estimate of the additional sum required is only £5,000 for the present year, owing partly to the fact that there is an unexhausted balance of £2,875 still due to the Department, but chiefly to the large balance received in 1898 under the Act of 1892. I can make no prediction with regard to the Probate Duty, and consequently cannot say what will be its possible increase compared with that of the average attendance. The Department is confident that the latter will certainly increase. I do not admit that there has been any miscalculation.