§ MR. EVELYN CECIL (Hertfordshire, Hertford)I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he is aware that numerous scholars nominally in public elementary schools under the London School Board, who receive instruction exclusively under the regulations of the Science and Art Directory and not under the Code, have their attendances registered both on the registers of the Science and Art Department and in duplicate on the attendance books of the public elementary schools; and that this duplicate registration brings the cost of the instruction so given to science and art scholars into the accounts of the ordinary elementary school, and thus causes it to be paid for out of the School Board rate levied for elementary education only; and whether, seeing that this registration of science and art scholars on the books of the public elementary school is prohibited by Clause 18 of the Science and Art Directory, he will state what steps he has taken or proposes to take in the matter.
§ SIR J. GORSTThe answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. The 1058 Board of Education have refused to pay Science and Art Grants in respect of any scholar registered in the manner described.
§ MR. EVELYN CECILDoes my right hon. friend mean that the officials of the Board of Education have been sustaining what I cannot but describe as a serious public fraud?