§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Education whether his Department still adheres to its decision to compel the Stockton-on-Tees educational authority to increase the fees charged in the higher grade secondary school from 3d. per week to £3 per annum per scholar as a condition to continuing the Government grant; and whether, seeing that the educational authority has protested against this decision, which would practically debar the children of the working class from benefiting from the existence of this school, he will state under what authority the Department is seeking to compel a local education authority to increase the fees charged in the school which is supported from the rates.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Sir WILLIAM ANSON, Oxford University)A special investigation is now being made into the conditions of the three secondary schools at Stockton-on-Tees. Until this is completed I am unable to give a specific Answer to the Question, but I will inform the hon. Member as soon as possible of the decision of the Board. The Board are not concerned with the requirement of a fee as such, but are bound to make such requirements as they consider necessary to secure the financial stability of the school before recognising it as eligible for grants.