§ 86. Sir CYRIL COBBasked the Minister of Labour whether the present grant to local education authorities of 100 per cent. of the cost of juvenile unemployment centres for young persons 20 between the ages of 16 and 18 will be continued in the case of similar educational facilities provided by the local education authorities for children between the ages of 14 and 16 under Section 5 of the Unemployment Insurance (No. 2) Bill; and whether he can say what educational facilities are to be provided, and by whom, under Section 11 of the Bill and from what source the 50 per cent. of expenditure not provided for in that Section will be derived?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Miss Bondfield)The 100 per cent. grant is already applicable to children between the ages of 14 and 16 as well as to those between 16 and 18 years of age, and there is no intention to discontinue this grant during the period up to 1st April, 1925, for which it has been promised. The Unemployment Insurance Bill does not propose to set up educational facilities directly what it does is to recognise the advantage which the Unemployment Fund would derive from appropriate centres for unemployed boys and girls by offering to make a grant towards the cost of such centres. No such grant has hitherto been payable out of the Unemployment Fund. The question how the remainder of the cost is to be borne is one which will have to be dealt with separately when the 100 per cent. grant comes to an end.
Viscountess ASTORWould it not be better and cheaper to keep these children at school until the age of 15?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThat is not a question for my Department.