§ MR. BRIDGEMAN (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if he will state how the £100,000 included in the Appropriation Bill of 1907 for the purpose of building elementary schools has been allocated; and what rules or considerations have governed the allocation of the grants.
§ LORD R. CECILAt the same time may I ask the President of the Board of Education what steps have been taken towards the allotment of the giant of £100,000 for school building; whether it is proposed to make any grants in Wales; and, if so, in what parishes.
MR. PIKE PEASEI beg also to ask the President of the Board of Education if he will give a list of the townships in which new elementary schools are to be erected with the assistance of the grant of £100,000 sanctioned in the Appropriation Act of 1907.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Mr. McKENNA,) Monmouthshire, N.The distribution of these grants is governed by regulations laid before Parliament last session. A considerable number of applications, both from England and Wales, have been received, but until the preliminary inquiries have been completed I am not in a position to state the cases in which a grant will be made. A statement will, however, be presented to the House as soon as the outstanding applications have all been decided.
§ LORD R. CECILMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is the intention to hold a public inquiry in each case before a grant is made?
§ MR. McKENNAOh, no.
§ LORD R. CECILDoes the right hon. Gentleman mean departmental inquiries?
§ MR. McKENNADepartmental inquiries.
§ MR. McKENNAProbably it will be ready some time next month, but not, I think, until then.
§ MR. BOWLESNo statement will be made until the money has been allocated?
§ MR. McKENNAThe money will be allocated in accordance with the regulations. When the money has been allocated a statement will be made. It could not be made until the money has been allocated.
§ LORD R. CECILWould it not be possible for the right hon. Gentleman to make a statement before the end of next month as to the sums the Department had already determined to allocate?
§ MR. McKENNANo, I will make a complete statement as soon as the money has been allocated.