§ 76. Mr. Bartleyasked the Minister of Education to give an assurance that the recently announced cuts in adult education grants will not affect the amount of grants made to residential colleges under the Further Education Grant Regulations for the year 1952–53.
§ Miss HorsbrughI would refer the hon. Member to my answer of 19th February to the hon. Member for Oldbury and Halesowen (Mr. Moyle).
§ 81. Mr. G. Thomasasked the Minister of Education what protests she has received from Wales concerning her proposal to reduce her grant for adult education classes by 10 per cent.
§ Miss HorsbrughThree from branches or special meetings of the W.E.A. and one from a trades council.
§ 82. Mrs. Castleasked the Minister of Education whether she has considered a resolution from the Blackburn Teachers' Association protesting against the proposed reduction in grants for adult education; and what reply she has sent.
§ Miss HorsbrughYes. I have considered this resolution and am sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply that has been sent.
§ 83. Mr. G. Thomasasked the Minister of Education how much she expects to save by applying the 10 per cent. cut in grant for adult education to classes in Wales.
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§ Miss HorsbrughAs I am still in discussion with the organisations concerned about the precise amount of grants to be paid for next year, I cannot yet answer this Question.
§ 85. Brigadier Medlicottasked the Minister of Education if she is now able to announce the result of her further discussions with representatives of the Universities Council for Adult Education and of the Workers Educational Association on the grants to be paid to them by her Department.
§ Miss HorsbrughYes. I have asked that before taking any final decisions about the grants for next year I may be given some further information about the position and commitments of the individual responsible bodies. Their representatives have agreed to my request and I am now awaiting to hear from them further.
§ 89. Mr. Maudeasked the Minister of Education when, and in what circumstances, her proposals for reducing the grants for adult education classes were communicated to the responsible bodies, and what reference was made to the Press publicity which had been given to these proposals when she received a deputation last week.
§ Miss HorsbrughAfter the informal discussions mentioned in my answer of 12th February, to the hon. Member for Stirling and Falkirk Burghs (Mr. Malcolm MacPherson), I informed the Chairman of the Universities Council for Adult Education and the Secretary of the W.E.A. six weeks ago that I was proposing to reduce the grant to the bodies responsible for adult education classes for the academic year 1953–54. This information was given them so that the various responsible bodies might begin their examination of my proposals with a view to further detailed discussions with me or my officers. The spokesmen of the deputation that I received last week told me that they regretted that publicity had been given to the matter while they were expecting to meet me for further discussions.
§ Mr. G. Thomasasked the Minister of Education the number of adult education classes in Wales that were abandoned last year due to her standstill regulation with regard to financial assistance: and by 234W what number she estimates that these classes will be reduced by imposing a 10 per cent. cut in grant allowed.
§ Miss HorsbrughI regret that I have not the information asked for in the first part of the Question. The reduction if any in the number of classes which would result from a reduction in my grant would vary according to the circumstances of the individual responsible bodies concerned, and in particular according to their ability to increase their income from other sources, such as students' fees.