HC Deb 13 November 1906 vol 164 cc1297-8
SIR G. KEKEYVTCH

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether, at an inquiry held by an inspector of the Board of Education with regard to a scheme for Watford Grammar School submitted to the Board of Education by the County Council for Herts, the inspector refused to inquire into the financial proposals of the county council under the scheme; and whether the course taken by the inspector was in accordance with the instructions of the Board of Education.

MR. LOUGH

The inquiry referred to was an inquiry relating to the draft of an amending scheme for the Watford endowed schools. The Hertfordshire County Council bad made proposals for aiding the foundation out of the rates under Section 18 (I) and Section 18 (1) (A) of the Education Act, 1902, and the inspector, in accordance with the instructions of the Board, refused to inquire into the objections to these rating proposals on the ground that the questions which they raised were outside the jurisdiction of the Board.

SIR G. KEKEWICH

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether the Watford Grammar School is held under denominational trusts; whether, under a scheme submitted to the Board of Education by the Herts County Council, it is proposed to endow that school with a considerable capital sum raised by loan on the security of the rates, and with an annual subsidy of public money; and whether the Board of Education have sanctioned, or intend to sanction, the scheme.

MR, LOUGH

The Answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. But the county council's financial proposals, which are in substance as defined by the hon. Member, are not, as the Question seems to imply, embodied in the scheme recently made under the Charitable Trusts Acts by the Board of Education. The county subsidy is given outside that scheme at the discretion of the local education authority with which the Board of Education saw no reason to interfere.