§ 68. Mr. Tomlinsonasked the President of the Board of Education whether he will consider the granting of the powers to local education authorities in England and Wales now operative in Scotland to make provision for the supply of clothing and footwear to necessitous school children?
§ Mr. RamsbothamNo, Sir. Powers already exist for providing clothing and footwear for necessitous school children and I see no need to introduce legislation to empower local education authorities to make such provision.
§ Mr. TomlinsonWill the right hon. Gentleman explain what powers we have in this country which they have not in Scotland for dealing with this problem?
§ Mr. RamsbothamThe Scottish powers were taken as long ago as 1908. If there were no provision in this country for the purpose which the hon. Gentleman has in mind, I should sympathise with his proposal.
§ 74. Mr. Tomlinsonasked the Minister of Health how many directors of education have received grants in order to provide footwear and clothing for necessitous school children; the names of the authorities, and the amounts of the grant made to each; and under what authority, and from what source, such grants were made?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThe primary responsibility for supplying school children with boots and clothing must continue to rest with their parents. In view, however, of the special difficulties in urgent cases in war time of clothing for evacuated school children I have given authority under Section 56 of the Civil Defence Act, 1939, to town clerks and directors of education in evacuation areas to spend from public funds up to a 678 present total of approximately £20,000 as an emergency supplement to such local funds as they have been able to provide from voluntary sources. The other information desired by the hon. Member covers some pages of figures, and I am sending it to him.
§ Mr. TomlinsonWill the right hon. Gentleman examine the answer which the President of the Board of Education gave a few minutes ago and ask why the powers which he said were available have not been put into operation?
§ Mr. CoveDoes the granting of this money depend solely upon the decision of the director of education? Is there no local committee concerned about it?
Mr. MacDonaldIt is done in consultation with those people who know the circumstances of the parents and the child.
§ Mr. TomlinsonAre not the grants made under a document headed "Private and Confidential"?
Mr. MacDonaldThat does not mean that this is secret to a very small number of people. The existence of this fund is generally known and in the localities a great deal of the details are perfectly well understood.