§ 16. Mr. HOGGEasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he can now state what the equivalent Grant to Scottish education is in view of the Grant to England and Wales; and whether he can give any indication of how it is to be spent?
§ Mr. MUNROThe Treasury have agreed that a sum (estimated at about £500,000) shall be given for the benefit of education in Scotland as an equivalent Grant on the usual basis for the additional expenditure now proposed for England, and will submit a Supplementary Estimate for the purpose.
I propose, in accordance with precedent, that the money so obtained shall be placed in the Education (Scotland) Fund, but that a substantial sum shall be earmarked as a first charge upon the whole fund for the improvement of the salaries of teachers in all classes of schools in receipt of Grants, without necessarily imposing, as a condition in all cases, a corresponding contribution from rates. The chief obstacle to some moderate improvement of the salary scale, and especially of minimum salaries, in all districts will thus be removed.
The balance of the money will be available mainly for augmenting the resources of the District Funds under Section 17 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1908, which in recent years have been notoriously 2204 inadequate for their purposes. Of these purposes the most important are the maintenance of efficient centres of secondary education benefiting a wide district without imposing an undue burden upon the rates of the individual school board distriet which, under present conditions, s chargeable with the maintenance of the centre; a freer provision of bursaries more adequate in amount for the maintenance of suitably qualified pupils attending these centres from a distance, and also for aiding pupils who have completed the secondary school course to proceed to the universities and central institutions; the better staffing of rural schools, and the provision of a staff of circulating specialist teachers to supplement the instruction given by the ordinary staff of these schools.
There is also a matter not so immediately urgent, but which may become so in the near future, namely, more adequate provision for medical inspection and care of the health of necessitous children. Any money remaining after these purposes have been fully met will be available for the relief of rates, not indiscriminate, but in those districts in which the expenditure upon education is high in pro portion to the valuation.
The proposed application of the money will be set forth in minutes of the Scottish Education Department under Section 15 of the Act of 1908, which will be laid before Parliament in due course?
§ Mr. HOGGEIn view of the importance of the right hon. Gentleman's statement to Scottish Members, will he consult the Prime Minister with a view to getting an early date for the discussion of the Scottish Estimates?
§ Mr. PRINGLEOn what date is the Minute likely to be laid before Parliament?
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTIs it proposed to deal with the whole of this £500,000 administratively or will any legislation be introduced this Session to effect the distribution of this sum; and will there be a Supplementary Estimate upon which this matter can be separately discussed?
§ Mr. MUNROI answered the last part of my hon. Friend's question in the affirmative in the answer I gave. The other matter is now under consideration.
§ Mr. J. MacVEAGHWill this Minute deal with the question of an equivalent Grant for Ireland or will there be a separate Bill?