DR. RUTHERFORD (Middlesex, Brentford)I beg to ask the President 1216 of the Board of Education what grants in aid of elementary education are secured to the local education authorities by statute; what is the average amount per child; and what grants will be secured by statute to the local education authorities for elementary education if the Elementary Education (England and Wales) Bill becomes law in its present form.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Mr. TREVELYAN,) Yorkshire, W.R., EllandThe grants secured by Section 19 of the Elementary Education Act, 1876, Section 2 of the Education Code (1890) Act, 1890, Section 1 of the Elementary Education Act, 1891, and Section 10 of the Education Act, 1902. These grants amount, on the average, to about £1 per child in average attendance. It is generally admitted that the existing system is unsatisfactory, and it is, therefore, proposed to repeal these enactments in order to leave the way clear for the introduction of more satisfactory methods of distributing grants in aid of elementary education. For this purpose it is essential that the basis of distribution should not be defined by statute.
§ MR. TREVELYANI presume by code.