HC Deb 04 March 1931 vol 249 cc403-4W
Mr. LATHAN

asked the President of the Board of Education if he can give particulars of the fees paid by fee-paying scholars attending the secondary schools of the Middlesex County Council; the average cost of secondary education per child; the percentage of free places in relation to the number of scholars admitted; and the percentage of free scholarships granted in relation to the number of scholars taking the examination during the past three years?

Mr. LEES-SMITH

The rates of fees in the maintained secondary schools in Middlesex range from 4½ guineas to 15 guineas a year; the provisional average gross cost per pupil in these schools

Date. For Royal Navy. For Australia. For Canada. For Foreign Powers. Total.
Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons.
July, 1913 … … 406,254 6,704* — 153,600 566,558
February, 1931 … … 43,489 — 2,656 2,400 48,545
* In addition 2,100 tons tinder construction in Australia.
The tonnage quoted for 1913 is normal displacement, that for 1931 standard displacement.

(excluding capital expenditure, loan charges and certain expenditure on administration) was £28 11s. for the financial year ended 31st March, 1930; the percentage of free places awarded at the beginning of the school year 1930–31 was 46.8 of the total number of admissions during the previous school year. I regret that I have no information on the last part of the question.

Mr. LATHAN

asked the President of the Board of Education whether similar figures to those given by him on 24th November in relation to pupils in elementary schools between the ages of nine and 11 years, and the percentages of free scholars admitted to secondary schools, can be given for the schools under the control of the Middlesex County Council?

Mr. LEES-SMITH

The number of pupils between the ages of nine and 11 in public elementary schools maintained by the local education authorities in Middlesex, as on 31st March, 1930, represents an, increase of 63.5 per cent. over the corresponding number as on 31st March, 1928. The number of free places in grant-aided secondary schools in Middlesex awarded at the beginning of the school year 1930–31 represents an increase of 65.3 per cent. over the corresponding number awarded at the beginning of the school year 1928–29.