§ 25. Mr. Lipsonasked the President of the Board of Education whether he will authorise local education authorities to contribute towards the cost of fire-watching for non-provided schools?
§ Mr. RamsbothamThe powers of local authorities to defray expenditure in connection with fire prevention in non-provided schools have been explained by the Board in Paragraph 4 of Circular 1542, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.
§ Mr. LipsonIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Circular prevents some local authorities doing what they wish to do, that is, to assist non-provided schools? It causes hardship in many cases.
§ Mr. RamsbothamThat is not my reading of the Paragraph. Paragraph 4 states:
Reasonable expenditure on equipment …incurred by a local education authority in respect of provided schools, will be recognised for grant by the Board. … Such expenditure may include the reimbursement … of the reasonable cost of extra meals and of extra travelling expenses actually incurred by members of fire parties, whether in provided schools or non-provided schools within the public system of education.
§ Mr. LipsonWill the President of the Board of Education see that non-provided schools receive a comparable expenditure to that of provided schools?
§ Mr. RamsbothamI cannot go outside the Circular, but I will look into the question and let my hon. Friend know.