§ Mr. BROMFIELDasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Board of Education have already approved additional commitments of the Stoke Education Committee since 31st March, 1925, in respect of a new council school at Oakhill, the staffing and equipment of a handicraft centre at Fenton, and the provision of commercial and art courses; and whether the additional charges in respect of them will fall on the rates if Circular 1371 becomes operative?
§ Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the President if he is aware of the shortage of suitable accommodation for both elementary and secondary education in the county of Durham and the proposals of the local education authority to deal with the matter in the provision of new schools and the remodelling of others, and that the provisions of Circular 1371 will hamper and hinder their proposals; and whether, under these circumstances, he will at once withdraw such circular?
§ Mr. CAPEasked the President whether he is aware that the erection of a centre for cookery and handicraft in Congleton will have to be indefinitely postponed owing to the effect of Circular 1371; and will he therefore postpone its application until he has consulted the Congleton Education Authority?
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§ Lord E. PERCYI have already publicly stated that I realise that in certain areas with special problems and special commitments the proposals made in the circular may require further consideration in their application, and that the details of the proposals are open for discussion with the authorities concerned and, if necessary, modification as a result of such discussion.
§ Mr. COVEasked the President whether, as he has indicated in a supplementary statement to Circular 1371 that the scope and cost of the elementary services must be restricted in order to provide for the future expansion of higher education, he can indicate the nature and scope of this restriction?
§ Lord E. PERCYI think the hon. Member has overlooked the fact that the word which I used was "defined," not "restricted." The matter in general is not one into which I can enter within the limits of an answer to a question.
§ Mr. J. HUDSONasked the President whether he is aware that in Manchester schools there are 6,000 children between the ages of three and five; and whether it is intended that the local education authority shall provide for these children out of the rates alone?
§ Mr. W. HIRSTasked the President whether he will consider the withdrawal of Circular 1371, in view of the fact that 4,000 children under five years and 200 in nursery schools will either have to suffer exclusion or be maintained at the expense of the local authority?
§ Mr. WHITELEYasked the President whether, in view of the fact that the Darwen (Lanes) education authority will lose about £1,000 in grants by the exclusion of 635 children under the age of five through the operation of Circular 1371, he will consider withdrawing the circular?
§ Mr. W. BAKERasked the President whether, in view of the fact that in Gloucestershire 2,500 children under five will be affected by Circular 1371, he will reconsider the policy of the circular?
§ Lord E. PERCYI would refer the hon. Members to my reply of 3rd December688W last to the hon. Member for Lambeth North (Mr. Briant), a copy of which I am sending them
§ Mr. BROMLEYasked the President if, in view of the opposition of the Barrow-in-Furness education committee to Circular 1371, he will withdraw such circular; and whether, in view of the unemployment existing in the area, he will consider increasing the amount of the grant to the area?
§ Mr. RITSONasked the President (1) whether, in view of the fact that Circular 1371 will mean an increase in the elementary education rate of 6d in the £ in 1928–29 in Sunderland, he will withdraw the circular; and whether, in view of the great unemployment in the area, he will consider making a greater, and not a lesser, grant to Sunderland;
(2) whether, in view of the fact that Circular 1371 will mean a progressive rise in the high education rate in Sunderland from 7s. 3d. in 1925–26 to 12s. 8d. in 1928–29 and of the unemployment existing in the area, he will refrain from putting into operation any grant regulations, such as are foreshadowed in Circular 1371, which will reduce Exchequer grants?
§ Lord E. PERCYI cannot, of course, accept without investigation the figures quoted in the two latter questions, nor can I accept the suggestion that the grant for educational services in any area should be fixed with special reference to the conditions of employment obtaining in that area. The fact that I have invited local authorities to discuss the proposals of the circular with me is a sufficient guarantee that the special circumstances of particular areas will be duly considered in the application of the circular to these areas.
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEasked the President whether he is aware that in Leicestershire there has been an increase in the number of teachers in elementary schools of nearly 2 per cent. since 31st March, 1925, and that this is due mainly to an increase in the birth rate and entails a further expenditure of £4,500 per annum; and whether, as a result of Circular 1371, this additional amount will fall entirely on the rates?
Mr. MORGAN-JONESasked the President whether he is aware that in Lowestoft the payment of the additional 689W teachers required by the staffing schemes in elementary and open-air schools would, under the proposals of Circular 1371, involve the addition of a 4d. rate; and, in view of this, whether he is prepared to withdraw this circular?
§ Lord E. PERCYI would refer the hon. Members to the reply given by me yesterday to the hon. Member for Welling borough (Mr. Cove), a copy of which I am sending them.
§ Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the President whether the evidence proffered by the officials of the Board of Education to the Meston Committee was in support of the abandonment of the percentage basis for the Government grants, as forecasted in Circular 1371 of the Board of Education?
§ Lord E. PERCYI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by me on 7th December to the right hon. Member for Newcastle Central (Mr. Trevelyan), a copy of which I am sending him.
§ Mr. RUNCIMANasked the President the amount of grant paid to local education authorities in England and Wales by the Board of Education on behalf of elementary education and higher education, respectively, for the financial year 1924–25?
§ Lord E. PERCYThe right hon. Member will find the information which he requires in my reply of 3rd December to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Bosworth Division (Captain Gee), a copy of which I am sending him.
§ Mr. SHORTasked the President whether the operation of Circular 1371 would mean a loss in grants to the educational authorities of Wednesbury, Tipton and Darlaston, respectively; and, if so, whether he can state the amount in each of such loss?
§ Lord E. PERCYAs regards Wednesbury and Tipton, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. Lindley), a copy of which I am sending him. Darlaston Urban District690W Council is not a local authority for education.
§ Mr. WALLHEADasked the President is he is aware that the effect of putting into operation Circular 1371 will mean an increase of rates for the borough of Merthyr Tydfil equal to 1s. 4d. in the £; and whether he is prepared to modify the terms of the circular?
§ Lord E. PERCYAs I have already stated, I am ready to discuss the details of the proposals of the Circular in their application to the area of any particular authority, and the hon. Member will not expect me to accept these figures without investigation.
§ Mr. COVEasked the President whether he is aware that the loan charges on the projected secondary schools in Nottingham will mean an additional rate of 2½d. in the £; and whether he will reconsider the withdrawal of the circular?
§ Lord E. PERCYI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by me orally to-day to the hon. Members for Leek (Mr. Bromfield), Bilston (Mr. John Baker), and King's Norton (Mr. Dennison), a copy of which I am sending him.
§ Mr. COVEasked the President whether the cost of the new central clinic in Nottingham, which was not included in the 1924–25 accounts, will have to be met exclusively from the rates?
§ Lord E. PERCYCircular 1371 is based on the assumption that, in general, the cost of new services now in operation which were not included in the 1924–25 accounts can be met out of savings. Where I am satisfied that this is not the case, I am prepared to discuss the matter with the authority concerned.
§ Mr. CAPEasked the President whether he is aware that the loan charges in Congleton so far from falling are rising, and that a substantial rise is anticipated in the near future; and will such loan charges be subject to the grant now obtaining if Circular 1371 is enforced?
§ Lord E. PERCYI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by me orally to-day to the questions put down by himself and the hon. Members for Leek (Mr. Bromfield) and Houghton-le-Spring (Mr. Robert Richardson).