HC Deb 12 March 1957 vol 566 cc965-6
23. Dr. King

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will exempt education from the proposed new system of block grants to local authorities.

Mr. H. Brooke

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. G. Thomas) on 19th February.

Dr. King

Is the Minister aware that the Minister of Education is wisely and eloquently urging the need for greater expenditure on education, and that educationists of all political parties in local government are very alarmed at the fact that the proposed block grant will either mean new heavy financial burdens on local education committees—[HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"]—or else cause some local education committees to neglect the duties which the Minister of Education imposes upon them? Will the Minister consult the Minister of Education before he puts the clock back in education?

Mr. Brooke

At the moment I am doing what I should have thought the hon. Member would wish: I am consulting the local authorities themselves.