§ DR. COOPER (Southwark, Bermondsey)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state the weekly cost per child of the children in the Shirley Poor Law Schools; how much of this is expended on maintenance, administrative charges, loan, and sinking fund; whether the weekly charge is less this year than last; whether any, and, if any, how many, of the boys are required to work on the farm and girls on housework as half-timers; and whether he can state the percentage of children passing the sixth standard before leaving the school.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (MR. JOHN BURNS, Battersea)The average weekly cost per child in the year ending Michaelmas, 1906, was 20s. 6½d. Of this, the sum of 5s. 9½d. represented the average cost of maintenance, 8s. 8½d. the average cost in respect of the staff and miscellaneous expenditure, and 6s. 0½d. the charges in respect of loans. The average weekly cost per child in the year ended Michaelmas, 1905, was 21s. 7¼d. I understand that there are no half-timers in the school, I am not informed as to the percentage of children who have passed the sixth standard before leaving.
§ MR. HAROLD COXCan the right hon. Gentleman give the figures for the previous year?
§ MR. JOHN BURNSYes; the figures for the last three years are; 1904, 29s.; 1905, 21s. 7¼.: 1906, 20s. 6½d.