§ 38. Captain P. MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Education 1469 whether he can state the attitude of the Government towards the recommendations of the Howarth Committee on Maintenance Allowances for Children?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Sir Charles Trevelyan)I propose to deal with this subject in my speech on the Second Reading of the Education Bill this afternoon.
§ 47. Captain MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Education what authority will decide as to the need of the parent in connection with the proposed payment of maintenance allowances under the Education Bill; and whether there will be any appeal from the decision of such authority?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThe need of the parent will be a matter for the decision of the Local Education Authority in accordance with the regulations to be issued by the Board of Education, and so long as the authority fulfils the requirements of the regulations no question of appeal will arise.
§ Captain MACDONALDCan the right hon. Gentleman give an indication of these recommendations?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANAs I have said, I shall say something about the matter this afternoon.
§ Mr. McSHANEWould it not be better to abolish the means test altogether?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODI should like to ask the Minister of Education who instituted the idea of the means test?
§ 49. Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEasked the President of the Board of Education by whom will the maintenance allowances proposed under the Education Bill be paid to the parents of the children attending school?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThe report of the Committee on Maintenance Allowances contained several suggestions as to the way in which such allowances might be paid. It would be for a particular authority to choose which of the methods it would adopt for its area.