§ SIR JAMES WOODHOUSETo ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the local education authority, having no funds at the time of the new Education Bill coming into operation, will be authorised to anticipate by overdraft on their treasurer the expenditure of the first six months of their existence, or until the authority shall have the opportunity of obtaining the necessary funds to meet their expenditure.
745 (Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) Local authorities are not legally empowered to overdraw their accounts with their treasurers. As regards the present case, I may observe that the funds belonging to any School Board or school attendance committee in the district of the local education authority existing at the appointed day will be transferred to that authority, and will be applicable to their expenditure under the Bill. Moreover, it will be competent to the authority to make arrangements beforehand for obtaining the funds required to enable them to defray their first expenditure under the Bill.