§ MR. C. B. HARMSWORTH (Worcestershire, Droitwich)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the complaint of the Worcestershire County Council that sometimes as many as six, eight, and ten months elapse before a grant earned by the council is paid over; and whether he will take steps to ensure that the payment of grants earned may be made at an interval not greater than three months from the notification that the grant has been earned.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Mr. McKENNA, Monmouth, N.)My attention has been called to the complaint referred to, but I have not been informed whether the grants in question are in respect of elementary, secondary, or technical education, or in respect of what particular schools delay is alleged to have occurred. I have no knowledge of any undue delay, but if the hon. Member will furnish me with this information, I will cause inquiries to be made. In the case of elementary schools, the payment is usually made by the same post that the notification is despatched.