§ 72. Mr. RENDALLasked the President of the Board of Education whether be has 368 received a resolution from the Gloucestershire Education Committee protesting against the decision of the Board to exclude in the calculation of their deficiency grant to local education authorities from 1st April, 1927, the equivalent of the substantive grants paid by the Board to the non-provided secondary schools and against the proposals leading thereto during the next five years, since the effect must be either to add a heavy burden to the local rates or to deprive the schools of essential aid which they receive from the authorities and without which it will be impossible for the governors to carry on the schools; what course he proposes to take; and whether he proposes to take any action in this matter?
§ Mr. FISHERI have received a copy of the resolution referred to. I cannot defend the anomaly under which the Exchequer is liable to bear a larger proportion of the cost of a school which is aided by an authority than of a school which is provided by the authority. The removal of this anomaly will be spread over five years, and I see no reason why the decision of the Government in this matter should be modified.