§ 42. Sir PHILIP MAGNUSasked the President of the Board of Education in what way and to what special purposes of technical education it is proposed to allocate the sum of £100,000, being part of the sum of £560,000 to be given to higher education; and how he proposes to dispose of the sum of £395,000 in assisting secondary education?
Mr. PEASEI am not in a position to state the precise method in which the sum of £100,000 will be distributed in aid of technical education, but it is intended to apply a substantial portion of it to increasing the Grants-in-Aid of larger institutions which are doing advanced and highly organised work, and thereby to raise the proportion which the present Grants bear to the cost of that work. Supplementary regulations are in preparation for the purpose. As regards secondary schools, it is proposed to make substantial increases in the Grants given under the existing regulations, which will be modified accordingly. I hope that draft regulations will soon be ready for that process of consultation and discussion with authorities and bodies concerned, which I believe the House will regard as a desirable preliminary to their issue.
§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the mode of allocation, as he describes it, will inflict serious injury on higher education in rural districts?
Mr. PEASEI hope the regulations will be such that there will be no hardship in any area in technical work.
§ 43. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he has now consulted the Law Officers of the Crown on the position in which the right to free elementary education will be left by the passing of the Finance Bill?
Mr. PEASEWhile I am advised that there is no uncertainty on the point raised in the hon. Member's question, yet the Law Officers of the Crown will have an opportunity of considering the matter before Part IV. is considered in Committee.