§ 28. Viscount ELMLEYasked the President of the Board of Education the reasons why he cannot increase the rate of the grant towards the cost of the conveyance of school children?
§ 29. Mr. GOULDasked the President of the Board of Education whether representations have been made to him by the Somerset County Education Committee respecting the additional cost arising out of the reorganisation of the schools and the need of conveying the children from the more distant places; and whether he proposes to increase the present 20 per cent. grant to a higher figure?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI have received representations from the Somerset Local Education Authority in regard to the cost of conveying children to school. On the information which I have received up to the present time I do not think that an increase in the rate of grant would be justified. The expenditure on a particular service, such as this, and the proportion which falls on the Board's grant in respect of it, has to be considered in relation to the total expenditure incurred by the local education authorities on elementary education and the total amount of the Board's grant.
§ Viscount ELMLEYWill the right hon. Gentleman give special consideration to the scattered rural districts in this matter?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI have done so, but at the moment I do not see my way to do anything.
§ Major GEORGE DAVIESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, on account of the policy of his Department, an increased expenditure of £40,000 has fallen on the education authority of the county of Somerset; and cannot he see his way to assist them to carry the burden which is cast on them in carrying out his policy?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI am aware that the expenditure is heavy in some cases, but there are advantages which are obtained in other directions to compensate for it.
§ Miss PICTON-TURBERVILLAm I right in thinking that the right hon. Gentleman also received communications on this subject from Shropshire and other areas?