§ 23. Mr. BLACKasked the President of the Board of Education whether he can state the minimum and the maximum capitation grant per pupil made by local authorities for all requisites in the elementary school; whether he can provide that in future an adequate minimum capitation grant shall be given; and whether he can state, in the absence of such satisfactory grants, that the nation is able to secure a full Return for the sums expended on elementary education?
§ Mr. TREVELYANThe estimated expenditure of local education authorities in the year 1923–24 on "other expenses of maintenance" of public elementary schools amounted on the average to 31s. 10d. per child, the range of expenditure being from 13s. 7d. to 57s. 9d. I may refer the hon. Member to Table 8 of the Return—"Cost per Child, Elementary Education (1923)"—a copy of which I am sending to him. I shall be able to give him further information when the audited accounts of the local education authorities have been received and collated. It is the duty of the local education authorities (and a condition of grant) to maintain and keep efficient all public elementary schools within their area, and to equip them adequately and suitably with apparatus, books, etc., required for the curriculum. Where it appears that there is a deficiency at any of these points, the Board will bring the matter to the notice of the authority.
§ Mr. BLACKIn cases where only one halfpenny per week, per child, is available for these requisites, is it not impossible for the school to give proper facilities for education?
§ Mr. TREVELYANWherever the supply appears to us to be insufficient we advise the local authority to remedy it.