§ 43. Mr. Lathanasked the President of the Board of Education whether he has considered the communication sent from the Sheffield Education Committee showing the increased percentage of cost of education which has to be covered by local rates, and the decreasing percentage of cost covered by Government grants; and whether, seeing that the present system of Government grants calls for complete revision, he will give the fullest consideration to the recommendation of the Sheffield education authority, supported by the Association of Education Committees, that the whole question of Government grants towards education be examined by a Royal Commission or some other appropriate body?
§ The President of the Board of Education (Mr. Oliver Stanley)I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my hon. Friend gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Hillsborough (Mr. Alexander), a copy of which I am sending him.
§ Mr. LathanDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider that the reply which was given yesterday covers the concluding part of the question which now appears upon the Order Paper; and may I ask him not to close this matter in consideration of what is widely believed to be a well-founded objection to an inequitable arrangement?
§ Mr. StanleyThe whole question was raised very fully by a deputation from the Association of Education Committees, and, after hearing their statement of the case, I came to the conclusion which I have given in my reply.