§ 50. Mr. TREVELYANasked the Prime Minister whether he can give the House any information as to the scope and further implications of the decision of the Cabinet to place a limit on expenditure, which is first announced to the country in Circular 1371 of the Board of Education?
§ The PRIME MINISTERSuch information as the right hon. Gentleman desires will not be available until the Government have completed their examination of Departmental Estimates.
§ Mr. TREVELYANIs it not rather remarkable that an announcement of large public policy by the Cabinet should be made through a circular from one of the Departments?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI would not accept that suggestion. The announcement was made, as my right hon. Friend explained a day or two ago, for a purpose; that the Minister might get into immediate contact with the local authorities. Until he has had the opportunity of discussing this with the local authorities, I do not think he will be in a position, and does not propose, to make any further announcement.
§ 51. Mr. TREVELYANasked the Prime Minister whether, before introducing any legislation for the purpose of replacing the percentage grant to local education authorities by a block grant, as forecasted in Circular 1371 of the Board of Education, the Government will await the Report of the Meston Committee and the publication of the evidence given before it; and whether, meantime, he can inform the House whether any of the evidence given either by Government Departments or by local authorities was favourable to the change of system proposed?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIn view of the delay which has already occurred, I could not undertake that no legislation would be introduced by the Government until the Report is received. The evidence received by the Committee has not yet been submitted to the Government.
§ Mr. TREVELYANMight I ask the Prime Minister whether he can answer the last part of my question, as to whether it will be possible to know the general tendency of the evidence in the Report on this vitally important question?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have no knowledge beyond what I have answered just now, but I might suggest to the right hon. Gentleman that any further questions should be put to the Minister of Education. It is, however, quite obvious that, assuming that legislation is neces- 2218 sary, there will be ample opportunity for the House to discuss this matter and express its opinion at the time. My right hon. Friend has in mind a change in the system of grants. Nothing can be done until the next financial year.
§ Mr. TREVELYANIn view of the announcement of the Government that this very important change is contemplated by them, is it reasonable to ask that the only source of expert evidence on the subject should be put before the House while the matter is being discussed in the country as well as here?
§ The PRIME MINISTERPerhaps the right hon. Gentleman will be good enough to put that to the Minister of Education.
§ Major CRAWFURDWill the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that before legislation is introduced in the sense of this Circular, he will publish a White Paper giving the result of the communications of the Department with the local authorities?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will consider that.
§ 72. Mr. RENNIE SMITHasked the President of the Board of Education how much money it is estimated he will save during the next three years by the proposed new system of grants foreshadowed by Circular 1371?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Duchess of Atholl)It is not clear what basis of comparison the hon. Member has in mind, but my right hon. Friend would remind him that the grant provided for in the Circular is a guaranteed minimum during the period covered, not a fixed maximum, and that the Circular indicates that the Board expect to present Estimates for 1926–27 for a larger amount than the Vote for the current year.