§ 33. Mrs. Whiteasked the Minister of Education what grants are at present available for experimental work on special projects under the Direct Grant Schools Regulations.
§ Sir D. EcclesRegulation 4 (d) of the Direct Grant Schools Regulations, 1959, empowers me to pay grant in respect of special or experimental work involving extraordinary expenditure. The grants regularly paid under this Regulation are towards the cost of the employment of foreign assistants. I have also recently agreed to pay a small grant to one school taking part in a pilot scheme in the teaching of atomic physics at Ordinary level.
§ Mrs. WhiteAs there are 179 direct grant schools in special relationship with the Ministry and in a privileged position, does not he think that he might be a little more enterprising in this matter? Does not he recognise that there are a number of problems in education in respect of which he might take an initiative and ask some of these rather privileged schools to help to solve them?
§ Sir D. EcclesI am taking steps to increase research, but I do not think that 609 the direct grant schools are in any better position than any other schools to help us there.