§ 22. Sir J. D. REESasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Nottingham education committee has approved estimates of no less than £199,046 for the ensuing year, of which sum £111,319 will be required from the rates; that this is £6,047 over the amount received last year, while the estimated expenditure is £5,147 more than the actual expenditure of 1912–13; that only ten years ago the cost of education was £156,000; that the chairman of the finance committee doubts whether the children leaving the schools to-day are better educated than they were when the expenditure was so much smaller in amount; that if the Board of Education contributed in the same proportion as in 1905 Government Grants would be £109,344 and the draft upon the rates would be £84,517, or 2209 upwards of £26,000 less than it now is; that the education committee is helpless and not master in its own house, while charge after charge is piled up for it, able or unable, willing or unwilling, to meet; that, owing to the higher cost of living and innumerable exactions, depreciation of property and shrinkage of income, resulting from recent legislation, there are 6,000 empty houses in Nottingham, which are unsaleable, or saleable only at heavy loss; and whether, in the face of these facts, the Government proposes to force further educational burdens on this already over-burdened community?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Joseph Pease)The estimates of education committees are not submitted to the Board of Education, and the accounts for 1912–13 have not yet reached the Board. Out of all the statements made in this question the only one that I have any means of verifying refers to the sum of £156,000 stated in the question to be the cost of education ten years ago. This agrees with the total shown in the financial statement for the year 1904–5. The proposals of the Government will in due course be made known.
§ Mr. RAFFANMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that the owners of ground values contribute nothing towards the local rates, and whether the Government will take steps to see that they make a contribution for education purposes?
§ Mr. KINGMay I also ask whether all those evils enumerated in the question do not directly arise out of the Education Act of 1902?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a matter for argument.