§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Chief Secretary why the grant to the Intermediate Board from Ireland's share of Customs and Excise Duties, which amounted in 1900 to £71,400 and has decreased annually until in 1910 it only amounted to £16,000, has not been supplemented; has the Intermediate Board during the period just referred to reduced the prize money annually paid from 1193W £18,000 to £7,000; is he aware that English and Welsh secondary education receive a Treasury grant of £776,740 and Scottish secondary education a grant of £187,000; will he say whether Ireland receives a Treasury grant; and will this entire question have his immediate consideration?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe figures given in the question with regard to the falling-off in that part of the income of the Intermediate Education Board which is derived from Customs and Excise duties, the sums spent on prizes as distinguished from school grants, and the amounts voted for grants for secondary schools and the instruction of pupil teachers in England and for continuation classes and secondary schools in Scotland are substantially correct. There is no Parliamentary Vote for secondary education in Ireland. Proposals for supplementing the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Duties were indicated in the Budget speech of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in June last.