§ SIR W. HART DYKE (Kent, Dartford)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware that considerable doubt exists as to the liability of county educational authorities for payment of the whole rent for school teachers' houses; whether he will consider the advisability of issuing a circular to such authorities defining their liabilities as to the payment of rent for teachers' houses, and their powers as to charging three-fourths of such payment upon the parish served by the school.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Sir WILLIAM ANSON, Oxford University)It does not appear that the payment of rent for a teacher's house forming part of the premises of a Voluntary school is either capital expenditure or rent on account of the provision or improvement of a public elementary school within the meaning of Section 18 (c) of the Act. The county authority would therefore be liable to pay the whole rent of the teacher's house as a part of the maintenance of the school. I do not think that there is any necessity for sending a circular to local authorities on this point. I am not aware of any difficulties experienced by them on this subject.