§ LORD R. CECIL (Marylebone, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education how many applications he has received for grants towards the building of schools altogether; how many of these came from Wales, and how many from England; and how many have been granted in each case.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Mr. McKENNA,) Monmouthshire, N.It is impossible to distinguish between applications and the various forms of inquiry from managers, parents, and other persons with regard to these grants, which may or may not be considered as applications. But I hope to include in a statement which will be issued before the close of the financial year a list of definite applications, which have been made by local education authorities, showing the amount of the grant sanctioned, if any.
§ SIR GEORGE DOUGHTY (Great Grimsby)Will the Return show how 866 many of these applications are for single area schools?
§ MR. McKENNAsaid the Return would show to which particular district in each case the grant was made.
§ SIR GEORGE DOUGHTYWill an inquiry be held in the case of each application?
§ MR. McKENNAIf the local authority is to contribute part of the cost and has to raise a loan there will no doubt be an inquiry by the Local Government Board, but not otherwise.
§ SIR GEORGE DOUGHTYThen in the other cases will there be no inquiry at all?
§ MR. McKENNAI do not know if the hon. Gentleman has read the regulations under which the allocation has to be made.
§ LORD BALCARRES (Lancashire, Chorley)Is there any objection to our knowing now what allocations have been made?
§ MR. McKENNAYes, there would be considerable difficulty, because we are still considering the applications from day to day. I cannot, in fact, say that any have been granted.
§ MR. BOWLES (Lambeth, Norwood)Can the right hon. Gentleman say none have been granted?
§ MR. McKENNANo, the negotiations are going on and it would be undesirable to say what allocations have been made until they are completed, which will not be very long.