§ 58. Mr. H. WILLIAMSasked the President' of the Board of Education the approximate increase in the cost of elementary education in England and Wales which would be caused by a reduction of one pupil in the average size of classes?
§ Lord E. PERCYI am not in a position to estimate, even approximately, the increased cost which would be involved in the operation to which the hon. Member refers. Though it is no doubt true, generally speaking, that a reduction of the size of-classes results in an increase in their number and, consequently, in the number of teachers and in the accommodation and equipment required, in practice a redistribution or reclassification of the children would in many cases enable large classes to be reduced in size without a net increase in the number of classes. The extent to which this factor would operate could be determined only by a detailed examination of the particular circumstances of each school or group of schools, which I do not think it would be reasonable to ask local education authorities to undertake.