Mr. POINTERasked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the action of the Abertillery Urban District Council who, at a total cost of £20, fed the school children of labourers, who were on short time from September of last year until February of this year, earning an average wage of 12s. per week out of which 7s. 6d. per week was deducted by the colliery company for house-rent and coal, and, although the men are not even yet earning full wages, the district council have sent in notices to the parents for the recovery of the amounts expended; and whether he is prepared to take action in the matter?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe Board have been informed by the Abertillery Local Education Authority that they expended in the year ending 31st March, 1909, £21 8s. 8d. under Section 3 of the Education (Provision of Meals) Act, 1906. I have no information as to any action taken by the authority to recover the cost of meals under Section 2 of the Act. The only functions assigned to the Board by the Act are those mentioned in Section 3. The Board do not appear to have any authority to interfere with the action taken by local education authorities under Section 2.
Mr. POINTERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, seeing that there is considerable doubt and anxiety in the mind of the district council themselves—I think it was only a majority that passed a resolution to recover the amounts—some assistance and guidance cannot be given to them in the matter? I would also ask whether it is not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman has already been approached in regard to the interpretation of that particular point?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAny information which the Board of Education can give to the local authority will be willingly given. I think inquiry has been made, if not by this local authority, certainly by one or two other local authorities, and we have given the whole of the information at our command.