§ 14. Mr. HURDasked the President of the Board of Education how many forms and returns are required by the Board to be prepared by teachers and educational authorities each year in respect of elementary schools and secondary schools, respectively; what are the subjects of the inquiries made; what is the estimated time occupied in preparing the replies; to what use are these returns put when made; how many clerks, approximately, are occupied in the Department in connection with them; and what means are being adopted to reduce and simplify these returns, so as to free teachers and educational authorities for their other duties?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Lord Eustace Percy)I find some difficulty in answering my hon. Friend's question because I do not know what he intends to include under the description "forms and returns." If he will confer with me I will see what information I can give him.
§ Mr. HURDWill the Noble Lord ask two or three business men who are interested in education to go through these manifold forms and see whether they cannot be cut down, with great advantage from the point of view of economy?
§ Lord E. PERCYIf the hon. Member will confer with me he will find that a good many of the forms which he holds in his hand have already been revised.
§ Mr. HURDIs it not the fact that these many forms which I hold are those in use for educational bodies throughout the country? Those are the forms on which they are working.
§ Lord E. PERCYI do not know what forms the hon. Member has in his hand, but I quite agree that there has been a good deal too much complication in this administration, and if he will confer with me I will see what information I can give to him and to the House which shall be accurate and not misleading information.