§ MR. MUNRO FERGUSON (Leith Burghs)To ask the Secretary for Scotland whether, in view of the loss of the Education Bill, he now proposes to utilise 1216 the Equivalent Grant (1903) for education instead of the rating relief.
(Answered by Mr. A. Graham Murray.) I apprehend the hon. Member refers to the General Aid Grant appearing in the Estimates for 1904–5. That grant is already regulated by Minute, of date 25th April, 1904. It is true that payments under the provisions of that Minute will not exhaust the whole grant, it having been intended that the balance should be dealt with under the Bill. That balance will require to be dealt with next session, either by Bill or by Minute lying on the Table of the House, and will be so dealt with according to the legislative progress of next session. But it is not possible to deal with it now, nor can I accept as accurate the statement that the money already disposed of was given in rating relief.