MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the grant of five shillings per child payable to the voluntary schools in England and Wales under the Voluntary Schools Act, 1897, and amounting for the year 1900–1901 to £622,223, will be continued in the event of the Education Bill of this session becoming law.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURContributions by the Treasury towards voluntary schools will undoubtedly have to be continued to the local authority. In other words, the local authority will undoubtedly get, in those cases where the Act is adopted, the money which now goes to voluntary schools, but the actual provisions under which this is done have yet to be placed on the Paper, and I should be sorry that we should be led into a premature discussion with regard to them.
MR. HERBERT ROBERTSWill the local authority have a free hand as to the distribution of these funds?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURPerhaps the hon. Gentleman will reserve the Question until he sees the proposal.
MR. HERBERT ROBERTSI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the differences of opinion which exist with reference to the provisions of the Education Bill dealing with elementary education, he will consider the desirability of proceeding this session only with Part I. and Part II. of the Bill, which relate to higher education.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo, Sir. It is impossible for me to accept the suggestion which the hon. Gentleman throws out.