HC Deb 15 July 1913 vol 55 cc1066-7
82. Mr. C. BATHURST

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the total amount of the Grant proposed to be applied to the conduct of experiments in the field of education; whether this Grant will be administered and applied by the local education authorities; how will it be apportioned; and in respect of experiments, of what character will it be applicable?

Mr. TREVELYAN

I presume that the hon. Member refers to the Special Grants under the new Article 31* of the Code. The total amount available for the first year for Special Grants under that Article is £1,000. Grants will be payable to local education authorities in aid of expenditure incurred by them upon educational experiments directed to the improvement of the education of scholars in public elementary schools. The Board desire to keep themselves perfectly free to consider applications of all kinds from local education authorities, and it would, therefore, be impossible to make any definite statement in answer to the third and fourth parts of the question.

Mr. C. BATHURST

Does not the hon. Gentleman realise that £l,000 will not go far amongst the large number of educational authorities?

Mr. TREVELYAN

We shall see when we have experience of the first year how far the money can be usefully used.