§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to allocate the sum of £328,000 annually out of Exchequer funds as from the beginning of the financial year 1909–10 to local education authorities in respect of education other than elementary; and, if not, how does he propose to make good to such authorities the loss suffered during the last financial year owing to the depletion of the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Residue Grant consequent upon the increased taxation and reduced consumption of whisky?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe proposal is to substitute a fixed annual Grant of an amount equal to the proceeds of the duties in 1908–9 for the present Grant, which varies with the proceeds of the duties for each year. The new arrangement will be made operative as from the beginning of 1909–10, and the local authorities will receive, in addition to the amounts which they have already received in respect of that year, a further sum of approximately £328,000, namely, the amount by which the proceeds of the duties last year fell short of the proceeds in the preceding year.