§ 37. Mr. N. MACLEANasked the Secretary for Scotland whether it is the case that a grant of £13,000 was made to be distributed as retrospective pay for the year 1918–19 to school teachers; whether a share of this money has been sent to the Mossbank industrial school, Glasgow; whether the staff at this school, on recent application for this money to be distributed in accordance with the recommendation of the Departmental Committee's Report, have been told that the money has been placed to the school funds, as the advances already granted were adequate; whether he can state if a grant of money for a specific purpose can be used for other school funds; and whether, in view of the fact that the advances granted to the staff at Mossbank are only 30 per cent. above the 1914 standard, he will make representations to the governors of the school to apply the money to the purpose for which it was granted?
§ The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. Munro)The sum provided by the Treasury for the increase of the salaries of officers of reformatory and industrial schools in Scotland for the year ended 31st March, 1919, was £2,750. It was paid as a special grant of 10s. for 1918, child in the schools on 31st March,1918, after approval of a statement showing that the grant would be distributed as a war bonus to those members of the staff who did not in the year mentioned receive an adequate salary. Where suitable increases had already been given by the managers for the whole period 1st April, 1918, to 31st March, 1919, in anticipation of this assistance, it was open to the managers to use the special grant for recouping the funds of the school to the extent of the expenditure already incurred in respect of increased salaries 2145 for the financial year. The application of the grant of £180 made to Mossbank industrial school in this manner was approved in view of the fact that increases to a total of £800 had already been granted to the officers by the managers.
§ Mr. MACLEANDoes the Secretary for Scotland agree that 30 per cent. increase on the pre-War standard is a suitable advance to warrant the allocation of this money to other purposes than that for which it was granted?
§ Mr. MUNROAs I explained to my hon. Friend, the money was allocated in the way stated because the governors had anticipated the grant to the extent of £800. As regards the total sum distributed, that was fixed by the Treasury.