§ 38. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Home Secretary whether he will give the figures showing the expenditure on education and construction, respectively, for the reformatory and industrial schools during the years 1917 to 1919, inclusive, and the estimated and actual cost incurred under the new educational and constructional programme suggested in a circular memorandum by Dr. Norris, of which the salient features have been adopted by his Department; and whether he will circulate the said memorandum to Members of the House, and say what reasons have been adduced to prove the necessity for these reforms?
§ Mr. SHORTTWith the hon. Member's permission, I will have the answer printed in the OFFICIAL RKPORT. I shall be glad to send a copy of Dr. Norris's letter to any hon. Member.
§ The following is the answer referred to:—
§ I regret that I cannot give my hon. Friend the figures for education and building separately. The approximate average cost per week for each child in reformatory and industrial schools was:—
| s. | d. | |
| For the year 1914–15 | 11 | 0 |
| For the year 1917–18 | 15 | 5 |
| For the year 1918–19 | 16 | 1 |
| For the year 1919–20 | 19 | 0 |
§ The estimated cost for the year ending 31st March, 1921, is 24s., excluding a few schools owned by local authorities where the cost is higher.
1691§ The circular letter to which my hon. Friend refers is presumably that which was issued in December, 1919, and deals with the question of education. The object of the proposals made in that letter is to apply to these schools the new policy prescribed for public elementary schools by the Education Act, 1918. I shall be glad to send a copy of this letter to any Member who wishes to see it. The increase in the cost of schools since 1914 is mainly due to the increased cost of living, the increase of salaries corresponding to the scales which now obtain in public elementary schools, and the increase of staff to give effect to the education scheme.