HC Deb 29 July 1943 vol 391 cc1767-8
54. Mrs. Adamson

asked the President of the Board of Education whether county district councils, having between them a population sufficient to justify them in making application for county borough powers, who apply to be allowed either to amalgamate or to establish a joint board for education purposes only, will be granted the powers of a local education authority under his proposals for educational reconstruction?

Mr. Butler

Under the White Paper proposals powers may be delegated to district committees which in some cases will represent two or more county districts, but the authorities are to be the counties and county boroughs.

55. Mrs. Adamson

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the majority of representatives on the district education committees to be appointed under his schemes for educational reconstruction will be appointed by the county council or by the county district council; and whether any differentiation will be made in cases where the whole or a substantial part of the area of the district education committee consists of the area of a Part III education authority?

Mr. Butler

It is not proposed to prescribe the proportion of members of district education committees appointed by county councils and county district councils respectively. It will be for the county councils to prepare schemes for the constitution of such committees, and county district councils will be given the opportunity of making representations to the Board thereon.

Mr. Hammersley

Will special consideration be given to the position of the Middlesex area in relation to their duties as a Part III authority?

Mr. Butler

Yes, they have a very special problem, which is ever with me.

Mr. Lipson

Will district committees levy the educational rate, or will that be the responsibility of the county council?

Mr. Butler

I must have notice of that.

56. Mrs. Adamson

asked the President of the Board of Education to what extent under his scheme for educational reconstruction will a county council be compelled to delegate to district education committees full powers of control over primary, secondary and higher education, respectively?

Mr. Butler

The extent and character of the delegation to district education committees will be a matter for consideration in the first instance by the county education committee. If, however, any district committee is dissatisfied with the extent of the delegation proposed it will be able to make representations to the Board.