36. Mr. Whiteleyasked the Home Secretary whether he is prepared to meet representatives from the local authorities to discuss the question of grants in respect of air-raid precautions work for schools in accordance with agreements reached and embodied in the Schedule of the 1937 Act, and which have since been varied?
§ Sir J. AndersonI have already begun discussions with representatives of local authorities on the general question of expenditure on Civil Defence, and I have promised that expenditure incurred by local education authorities in providing protective works at schools will be taken into account in the course of the statutory review of expenditure under the Air-Raid Precautions Act. In view of the terms of the Question, I should add that there is no foundation for the suggestion that the present rate of Exchequer grant in respect of protective works at schools involves any variation from agreements reached in 1937.
Mr. WhiteleyDo I understand that the statements made by the local education authorities are incorrect?
§ Sir J. AndersonThe statements made by local education authorities relate to negotiations to which these authorities were not a party. Those who were concerned in the negotiations did not themselves make any suggestion of this kind. The answer, therefore, is that the local authorities in question have been under a complete misapprehension.
§ Mr. BurkeWill the local education authorities be represented in these negotiations as well as the local authorities?
§ Sir J. AndersonNo, Sir, because the question being considered is the burden on the funds of local authorities for that purpose, and it is not necessary to make any distinction between the burden on funds of education authorities and other forms of expenditure.
§ Sir J. AndersonI think that point of view is well known.
§ Mr. ThorneIs the Minister not aware that a number of schools have been turned into fire stations? Would it not be a great expense to convert them back to schools?
§ Sir J. AndersonI do not think the expense is thrown on the local education authorities at all.