§ 14. Sir K. WOODasked the President of the Board of Education if he can state the present position of the negotiations in relation to non-provided schools and the Education Bill?
§ 15. Mr. SMITHERSasked the President of the Board of Education whether he can now make a statement with regard to the progress of the negotiations on the non-provided schools?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHI am not in a position to make any statement on this matter at present.
§ Sir K. WOODCan the right hon. Gentleman say if he has commenced negotiations?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHI am having conversations.
§ Sir K. WOODHas the right hon. Gentleman yet determined when conversations end and negotiations begin?
§ 16. Mr. BRACKENasked the President of the Board of Education whether His 334 Majesty's Government will give local education authorities who may ask the managers of non-provided schools to enter into schemes of reorganisation a detailed explanation of the Government's financial scheme for assisting such reorganisation?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the proposals for aid to non-provided schools for purposes of reorganisation and raising the school age, which were discussed by my predecessor with the various interests concerned last January. It was clearly stated at the time that these were not Government proposals, but were put forward by my predecessor as a basis for discussion, and I am not yet in a position to make any further statement on the matter.
§ Mr. BRACKENI am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that answer, but can he tell me further whether any local authorities are acting upon this basis of discussion and believing it to be the official programme which they are bound to carry out.
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHNo, I am not aware of that fact.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYMay we take it that the local education authorities are included in the conversations which the right hon. Gentleman is conducting in this matter?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHYes.