50. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that, notwithstanding the recommendation of the chief medical officer to the Board that school camps should be encouraged, local education authorities are seriously handicapped in making these arrangements by the rulings of the Board that attendance at lessons given at such camps cannot be reckoned on the school register of attendances if any charge is made to cover the cost of food or any other item of expenditure in connection with these camps; and, 312 if the Act of 1918 prohibits such charges, can he see his way to bring in an amending Bill to enable local authorities to organise school camps and make a charge to cover the cost of food, which would otherwise be provided by parents, and at the same time count the attendance at lessons given in these camps in the school register so as to qualify for grants?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Herbert Lewis)My right hon. Friend understands that the hon. Member is concerned with children who receive instruction elsewhere than at the school, in accordance with arrangements approved under Article 44 of the Code, and not under Section 17 of the Education Act of 1918, though the conditions under which they receive such instruction are those of a camp. It appears to him that in such a case the local education authority are competent to exercise their powers under the Provision of Meals Acts, 1906 and 1914. The power to make a charge under those Acts is expressly excepted by Section 26 of the Act of 1918 from the general prohibition of charges contained in that Section.
Mr. THOMSONIn that case, will it be possible for the local education authority to count the attendances of these children in school camps on the register for grant and also to make a charge for the cost of food? Can they count the attendance and also make a charge?