MR. GEORGE KENYON (Denbigh Boroughs)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Education whether a draft scheme for a National Educational Council has received the approval of the Board; and, if so, will he state who were the persons consulted by the Board in the settlement of the preliminary scheme; whether it will be laid upon the Table and an early opportunity afforded the House of Commons of discussing it.
§ SIR WILLIAM ANSONNo such scheme has received the approval of the Board of Education. A scheme for a joint education committee for certain purposes of the Act of 1902 has been considered by representatives of local education authorities for Wales and Monmouthshire. The Board understand that this scheme will in due course be submitted for the consideration of those authorities, and, if adopted by them, will be laid before the Board with a view-to publication and subsequent approval. No persons were consulted by the Board: but the Board were glad to give such assistance as lay in their power to certain representatives of Welsh local authorities who approached them with a view to making the necessary preliminary arrangements for a joint committee. The scheme, when framed, will not be laid upon the Table of the House, but will be subject to the procedure set forth in Section 17 of the Education Act, 1902.