§ MR. COGHILL (Stoke-on-Trent)I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Parliamentary Annual Grants 834 and Free Grants paid to elementary schools are calculated in different ways, though both are based on the average attendance; and, seeing that in estimating the Parliamentary Annual Grants attendances allowed under Article 101 of the Code are included, but are excluded in calculating the Free Grants, whether he can explain why, notwithstanding the passing of the Elementary Education Act, 1900, the Parliamentary Grants are still calculated in different ways; and whether he will refer the interpretation of the clauses affecting this matter to the law officers of the Crown.
§ THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Sir J. GORST, Cambridge University)Free Grants and Annual Grants are based upon average attendance calculated for both exactly the same way. Article 101 does not provide for either annual or free grants, but for a special grant estimate at the discretion of the Board of Education. No legal question is involved suitable for reference to the law officers.