HC Deb 02 July 1918 vol 107 cc1654-5

Any council having powers under the Education Acts may, subject to Regulations made by the Board of Education, defray as part of their expenses under those Acts any reasonable expenses incurred by them in paying subscriptions towards the cost of, or otherwise in connection with, meetings or conferences held for the purpose of discussing the promotion and organisation of education or educational administration, and attendance of persons nominated by the council at any such meeting or conference: Provided that—

  1. (a) the expenses of more than three persons in connection with any meeting or conference shall not be paid except with the previous sanction of the Board of Education;
  2. (b) payments for travelling expenses and subsistence shall be in accordance with the scale adopted by the council:
  3. (c) expenses shall not be paid in respect of any meeting or conference outside the United Kingdom unless the Board of 1655 Education have sanctioned the attendance of persons nominated by the council at the meeting or the conference; and
  4. (d) no expenses for any purpose shall be paid under this Section without the approval of the Board of Education, unless expenditure for the purpose has been specially authorised or ratified by resolution of the council, after special notice has been given to members of the council of the proposal to authorise or ratify the expenditure, or, where a council has delegated its powers under this Section to the education committee, by resolution of that committee after like notice has been given to the members thereof.

Mr. ROWNTREE

I beg to move, after the word "with" ["in connexion with, meetings or conferences"], to insert the words, joint committees and joint bodies of managers and federations established under Section six, and. I formally move this Amendment, but I hope it may not be necessary to press it. The object of this Clause is to allow the expenses to be paid for promoting meetings and conferences "held for the purpose of discussing the promotion and organisation of education or educational administration." In connection with that there is sure to be a considerable amount of committee work Probably some of the most valuable work will be done by committees, and the object of my Amendment is to make quite sure that expenses can be allowed for that purpose. If the President will give me an assurance on that point, I have no desire to take up time any further.

Mr. FISHER

I am in a position to give my hon. Friend the assurance he desires to have. I have been in consultation with the Local Government Board on this matter, and they assure me that it has long been their view that any joint body might claim a reasonable amount of expenses incurred by any members attending such meetings.

Mr. ROWNTREE

The right hon. Gentleman's statement is entirely satisfactory, and I beg to withdraw the Amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Clause ordered to stand part of the Bill.