55. Duchess of ATHOLLasked the President of the Board of Education whether, seeing that the average cost of educating a child in a public elementary school is at present about £12 10s., he is satisfied that the children of the new age-group can be educated at an average cost of less than half that amount?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI am satisfied that the children of the new age-group can be educated at an additional cost to public funds of about £2,500,000 a year. It would be incorrect to apply to the new age-group the present general average figure relating to all groups, since the requirements of the new age-group will, to a considerable extent, be met by means of reorganisation.
Duchess of ATHOLLDoes the right hon. Gentleman really think that reorganisation will account for the difference, when he takes into account that the number of children in the additional age-group is estimated to be about half a million, that the £2,500,000 mentioned in the Financial Memorandum to the School Attendance Bill will only allow about £5 a child, and that the regulations require higher standards of staffing, accommodation and equipment for senior children?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThat is the impression which we have got by studying the programme.
56. Duchess of ATHOLLasked the President of the Board of Education how many additional teachers for the children of the new age-group are allowed for in his estimate of £2,500,000 as the cost of educating them from 1938 onwards?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThe number of additional teachers allowed for from 1938 onwards is 7,500.