HC Deb 08 March 1916 vol 80 c1540
71. Sir PHILIP MAGNUS

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the Board have informed local education authorities and the managers of technical schools that the Grants for technical instruction for the year 1915–16 may be reduced below the sums paid for the year 1914–15; and whether the Board are aware that the fixed commitments of these schools were made last year and cannot now be reduced without throwing upon the rates the additional sum that may be required for any deficit?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Herbert Lewis)

The Board have informed certain schools where the number of students has greatly diminished that they must not assume that the Grant for the current session will be as large as that for the preceding session. The Board, however, are fully alive to the point raised in the second part of the question, and where reasonable economy has been practised will have due regard to the expenditure necessarily incurred.

Sir P. MAGNUS

Have the Board fulfilled the intention announced in one of its circulars to base the Grant on class hours instead of students' hours, in order to avoid the loss which has been caused by the unavoidable absence of students?

Mr. LEWIS

I must ask for notice of that question.

72. Sir P. MAGNUS

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the Board can give any information for the guidance of local authorities in framing their estimates as to the probable amount of Grants to be allocated for technical instruction for the Session 1916–17; and whether, in deciding as to those Grants, he will consider the urgent importance at the present time of maintaining the standard of efficiency of teaching in our local technical classes?

Mr. LEWIS

In view of the great uncertainty as to the volume and cost of the work which will be done in the Session 1916–17, and which furnishes the basis for the assessment of Grants, it is not possible to give such information as is suggested. The Board fully appreciate the importance of maintaining the efficiency of technical instruction, and since the War broke out have done their best to meet the various difficulties experienced in carrying on the schools.