72. Sir J. D. REESasked the President of the Board of Education whether, under the scheme for the education of ex-officers, fresh applicants for assistance are still being sent to the universities at the public expense; how many have been admitted on a public assistance basis up to date; when admissions will finally cease; when the last admissions were sanctioned; and whether a Supplementary Vote was taken for the extra two millions of expense now incurred in addition to the six millions for which sanction has previously been obtained?
§ Mr. FISHERThe latest date pre scribed for the lodging of applications under the ex-service students' scheme was the 30th June, 1920. Applications after that date have, however, been exceptionally entertained where the lodging of an application was prevented by retention in the forces in a remote theatre of the War, or by retention in hospital. Apart from these exceptional cases all fresh awards have ceased. The total number of students who have been admitted to the benefits of the scheme is 26,470. The last award was made on the 7th March, 1922. The sum of six millions was a provisional anticipation of the total cost of the scheme made when the scheme was first put forward. The excess of two millions falls over the total period of the operation of the scheme. The expenditure in each year has been within the amount contained in the Estimates for that year (Class IV, N. 1, 2 and 3), except in 1919–20, the first full year of the scheme, when a Supplementary Vote became necessary.
Sir J. D. REESDoes the right hon. Gentleman think that anything so far removed from elementary education is consistent with elementary economy at the present time?