§ DR. MACNAMARAI beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether ho can state for the last completed financial year the percentage proportions of the cost of elementary education borne by Exchequer grants a id local rates respectively, in London, and in England and Wales, excluding London respectively.
§ MR. BIRRELLTaking the figures given in the statement, Cd. 2916, showing the expenditure of each local education authority under Part I. and Par. II. of the Education Act, 1902, recently presented to Parliament, which are, it must be remembered, not in all cases a trustworthy guide owing to incomplete periods, it appears that for the year ended March 31st, 1905, the proportion of Exchequer grants to total expenditure on elementary education was, in the case of London, 31.2 per cent., and the proportion provided from local funds was 68.8 per cent.; the same figure for England and Wales, excluding London, being 58.3 per cent, and 41.7 per cent. 1375 The local funds do not always consist only of rates. It would be, however, a mistake to suppose from these figures that London is the only local authority's area where the proportion of expenditure on elementary education from local funds is larger than that provided from Exchequer grants. There are between 50 and 60 other local authorities of which this is true in varying degrees. In Hastings, e.g., the figures are 35.7 per cent, and 64.3 per cent.; in Hove, 37.7 per cent., and 62.3 per cent.; in Barry practically the same; and in Bridlington 42 per cent, and 58 per cent.