HC Deb 29 March 1910 vol 15 cc1153-4
Mr. CLOUGH

asked the President of the Board of Education whether it was incumbent upon all county councils to spend the whole of the whisky money upon education higher than elementary; and whether the Lindsey County Council had always adhered to this practice or had ever allocated some moiety of it in relief of the ordinary county rates?

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Runciman)

Section 2, Sub-section (1), of the Education Act, 1902, provides that the local education authority shall take such steps as seem to them desirable, after consultation with the Board of Education, to supply or aid the supply of education other than elementary, and to promote the general co-ordination of all forms of education, and for that purpose shall apply all or so much as they deem necessary of the residue under Section 1 of the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act, 1890, and shall carry forward for the like purpose any balance thereof which may remain unexpended. I have no reason to suppose that the Lindsey County Council have misapplied the funds received by them under the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act. But that is a matter, in the first place, for the district auditor.

Mr. CLOUGH

What is the produce of a penny elementary rate under the Lindsey County Council?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

The produce of a penny rate in the year 1909–10 was £5,059.

Mr. CLOUGH

What was the portion of any expenses incurred by the Lindsey County Council in respect of capital expenditure on account of the provision of any public elementary school, charged on the parish served by that school in accordance with Clause 18 (1) (c) of The Education Act, 1902?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I must refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 21st March, which was to the effect that the Board did not possess the information necessary for a reply to this question.

Mr. CLOUGH

Will the right hon. Gentleman ask the Lindsey County Council for information on this point so that he can give me a reply?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

Under Clause 18 these particulars are lumped together, and my hon. Friend will be able to get the information from the Lindsey County Council as easily as I can.