§ 38. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he has estimated the loss of local authorities and the saving to the Board of Education resulting from the premature removal of children from school for agricultural and industrial work; and whether he will give an assurance that no alteration in the Code will be made which will allow local authorities to gain more money in respect of less education being given?
§ 40. Mr. WHITEHOUSEasked the President of the Board of Education whether the Board will refuse to accede to any requests to pay grants in respect of children who are normally liable to attend school, but are absent for employment in agricultural or industrial work?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Herbert Lewis)The estimate, to which my hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset refers, has not been made, and would be difficult to make. The Board have no power under the Code to pay grants in respect of attendances which are not made, and, as at present advised, I see no reason to alter the Code in this respect.
§ 39. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he has considered the economy that might be 1488 effected by ceasing to pay the additional grant for partial exemption scholars, seeing that this grant now acts as an inducement to local authorities in releasing children for half-time school attendance?
§ Mr. LEWISThe question of half-time employment is, as my hon. Friend is well aware, highly controversial, and I do not think I could possibly deal with it in the manner suggested. I doubt if the grant operates in the way my hon. Friend thinks.