Mr. GEORGE LLOYDasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of a notice that was sent out from the county education offices at Stafford on 25th November last informing those concerned that, in consequence of delay in the receipt of certain Government Grants, cheques for the November salaries at the education office would be delayed; whether he can state the cause of this delay; and whether, in view of the inconvenience of such delays, he will take steps to prevent any recurrence of such delays?
Mr. PEASEMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The issue of the notice to which the hon. Member refers was reported in the newspapers at the time, and was thus brought to the attention of the Board; but I am informed that the cheques for salaries to which this notice referred were, nevertheless, paid punctually and without any delay. The Grant referred to was a sum of about £22,000, payable to the authority "early in the latter half of the financial year," and depending upon returns of school attendance. These returns were received from the county authority by the Board on the1684W 13th September, and the checking of them had not been quite completed when a letter, dated 21st November, was received from the authority asking that the payment should be expedited if possible. The Board immediately complied with this request, and paid upon the 27th November the sum of £22,025, leaving one item, which was then still in doubt, but was afterwards ascertained to be £40, to be paid later by way of a Supplementary Grant. The county authority wrote to the Board on the 29th November thanking them for so promptly giving the matter their attention, and thus relieving the difficulty which had arisen.