§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Lord-Advocate if he will explain under what circumstances grants have been paid to the numerous public schools in the Island of Lewis, Ross-shire, which are clearly shown by the recently-issued reports of the parish officers of health to fall short of the sanitary standard required under 984 Article 17 (c), Scotch Code, under which school premises are requited to be healthy, well lighted, cleaned, warmed, drained, and ventilated; and will he state whether school inspectors are required to report in respect of these points before grants are paid.
MR. SCOTT DICKSONIn administering the Article of the Code quoted by the hon. Member, the Scotch Education Department have regard to the reports; of their inspectors on the conditions of the schools, which necessarily take into account all local circumstances. The reports to which the hon. Member apparently refers are reports made to the local authority with a view to determine what is required to put the schools in a proper state from the health point of view, and till there has been opportunity to give effect to the requirements of the local authority the Department would not feel justified in reducing the grants to the schools.