§ Mr. HENNIKER HEATONasked the President of the Board of Education whether he will, in the preparation of next year's Estimates, give consideration to the general demand and claim of the local education authorities that the Government grants to schools should be increased in order to meet the increased cost of education, and in particular the cost of medical inspection of schools, school meals for children, and small classes; whether, in this connection, he will bear in mind the fact that the proportion of Government aid to money raised for schools by rates used to be 75 per cent, to 25 per cent., and last year it was 50 per cent, to 50 per cent.; and whether, at present, less is provided by the Government Exchequer towards the cost of the schools than is provided by the rates, that is, by taking in the estimate the whole country?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am considering with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer the whole question of Government grants for education, but it is scarcely possible, especially at the present juncture, to say whether it will be practicable to provide in next year's Estimates for any substantial increase of those grants. Without discussing the precise accuracy of the calculations in the second paragraph of the question, I may say that in considering this matter we shall continue to bear in mind every consideration that has a practical bearing on the question. The Board do not possess the information necessary for an answer to the concluding paragraph of the question, which could not possibly be given until after the accounts of local education authorities for the current financial year have been received.