§ MR. HIGHAM (Yorkshire, W.R., Sowerby); I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if he will state the names of the elementary schools which have been assisted by grants in aid of building out of the Lytham School Charities, Lancashire; the amount of assistance in each case; and whether a condition as to undenominational religious instruction was imposed when the grants were made.
§ MR. BIRRELLThere are three public elementary schools which are the property of the Lytham School Charities. The early history of the schools of the foundation is obscure, but the following facts have been ascertained as to the existing schools, the names of which as they appear in the official list are as follows;—Lytham Endowed Church of England School, which received a grant from the funds of the charities towards cost of buildings of £812 5s. 0d. in 1856; (2) St. Anne on-the-Sea, Hey-house's Endowed School, which received £1,688 10s. 7d. in 1880 and 1893; and (3) Lytham St. John's Church of England School, which received £1,000 0s. 0d. in 1899. As regards St. John's School, the Charity Commissioners made it an express condition of the grant of £1,000 from the Charities that the school site should be conveyed to the trustees on trusts containing no denominational provisions. In the case of the other schools, no such condition was apparently 761 made. It was, however, a term of the general arrangement arrived at in 1898 at the local inquiry that in each of the three schools provision should be made for "Bible" instruction to be given in a separate room by a member of the staff to all children whose parents desired. This particular term was not expressly mentioned in the Charity Commission scheme of 1899, which directed simply; that in each of the three elementary schools of the foundation "religious instruction in accordance with the principles of the Christian faith" should be given under regulations to be made from time to time by the managers of each school. No alteration in these regulations was to take effect until the expiration of not less than one year after notice of the alteration had been given. I am not aware of any alteration having been made.
§ MR. HIGHAMWill the right hon. Gentleman inquire if as a matter of fact in connection with St. John's School, although there is a stipulation that no denominational instruction should be given, the scholars are marched to the Church of England on Holy days?
§ M R. BIRRELLI will inquire into that.
§ MR. HIGHAMI beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether, seeing that the Lytham Charities (Lancashire) were left for the schooling of the poor children of Lytham, and that the ratepayers of that parish are paying by means of the poor rate for the elementary education of the children of the parish, he will consider the advisability of arranging that the income derivable from the charity, or a portion of it, shall be paid to the overseers for the purposes of the trust, viz., in relief of the cost of elementary education.
§ MR. BIRRELLIt does not appear to be the case that the whole of the consolidated charities, now known as the "Lytham School Charities," were originally founded specifically for the schooling of the poor children of Lytham. The original trusts are, however, now super seded by the trusts of schemes made in 1899 by the Charity Commissioners, 762 under which a yearly sum of £450 must, and a further yearly sum "not exceeding £200" may, be applied to purposes of elementary education. The Board have informed the local education authority that, in their opinion, the yearly sum of £450 is subject to the proviso in Section 13 of the Education Act, 1902; but it is for the trustees and the local education authority, in the first instance, to agree as to the portion, if any, of that sum which should be applied in relief of the local rates. Unless there is a difference between the parties concerned, the Board of Education have no power to determine the amount which should be applied in relief of the local rates. The Board have no information that any such difference has arisen. In any event, any share of the income applicable to relief of the local rates must be paid in the first instance to the local education authority and not to the overseers. And the hon. Member should direct his inquiries to the Lancashire County Council, not to the Board of Education, if he desires to investigate the present allocation of the £450.
§ * MR. HIGHAMDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider that a grant of £450 for elementary education is sufficient, seeing that this charity is now bringing in £3,000 a year, and within the course of the next eight or ten years will be bringing in at least £10,000 a year?
§ MR. BIRRELLI cannot alter a scheme which has been laid on the Table of the House and has the authority of an Act of Parliament.
§ MR. HIGHAMI beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if he will state how much money from the Lytham Charities (Lancashire) is being used for the erection of a secondary school, and how much for the purchase of land for the same; what fees are intended to be charged at the proposed school, and if he will insist upon a substantial number of places being reserved free for the children of poor parents, seeing that these charities wore left solely for such children; and if he will prohibit the building of any place of worship in connection with the school, so that the children may attend such places as may be selected by their parents.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Answer to the first Question is £31,000, and to the second £25,000, I believe. Under the scheme the fees must not be less than £6 nor more than £12 a year; proposals are under consideration for permitting a maximum of £15 for day scholars, and for allowing some boarding pupils at not more than £60 a year for board and residence. Some 20 per cent, of the total places in the school can, under the scheme, be provided free from any fee and with additional benefits of from £5 to £10 as maintenance bursaries. No proposal has been submitted to the Board for the erection of a place of worship in connection with the school.
§ MR. CHIOZZA MONEYAre the schemes of the Charity Commissioners ever submitted to the Board of Education for approval?
§ MR. BIRRELLI should think so.