§ 37. Colonel Sir CHARLES YATEasked the President of the Board of Education whether the provision of free secondary education is the accepted policy of the Government; if so, whether legislation is to be introduced to this effect; and what the extra cost is estimated to amount to?
§ Mr. TREVELYANThe policy of the Government is that of the Education Act, 1918, namely, that adequate provision shall be made to secure that children and young persons should not be debarred from receiving the benefits of any form of education by which they are capable of profiting through inability to pay fees. No legislation is required to enable me to approve the abolition of fees in secondary schools. As regards cost, I may refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave him on 15th May last.
§ Sir C. YATEHas the right hon. Gentleman taken steps to see that the children are given this opportunity to show that they actually benefit by this education?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Gentleman has asked that question before.
§ 39. Sir C. YATEasked the President of the Board of Education the approximate cost of the extra 10,000 or 12,000 free places in secondary schools that are to be provided by September, 1925?
§ Mr. TREVELYANI think the hon. and gallant Member is under some misapprehension, for I have nowhere stated that the additional secondary school places, which we hope will be provided by September, 1925, will all be free. It will be for the school authorities, in the first instance, to propose the proportion of free places to be awarded and the fees to be charged.
§ Sir C. YATEWill the right hon. Gentleman read over again the speech which he delivered the other day?
§ Mr. TREVELYANThere is nothing inconsistent in my speech with what I have just said.