§ Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education what Aid-Grant was paid to associations of voluntary schools under Schedule II., paragraph 2, of the Education Act, 1902; what further sums were paid to these associations by managers of voluntary schools out of balances of Grants received under the same paragraph; what schemes for creation of common funds were approved by the Board of Education in accordance with the Board's circular, dated February, 1903; whether the schemes approved provided for any official audit or for any submitting or publishing of accounts; whether the amounts received by these bodies can be stated, also the amounts expended and the present balances; if not, will he say why this cannot be done; and whether the provisions for audit and publicity, which were demanded by the code of those responsible for the accounts of voluntary schools before 1902, can now be imposed either by code or regulation on those administering the funds of associations of voluntary schools?
Mr. PEASEIn reply to the first question, the Aid-Grant paid to associations of voluntary schools under the Education Act of 1902, Schedule II., Rule 12,. amounted to £84,418 15s. 2d. Full particulars of the payments, accompanied by an explanatory memorandum, are given in a statement presented to Parliament in 1905 [Cd. 2412]. In reply to the second' question, the Board have no information' as to any further sums paid to these associations by managers of voluntary schools out of balances of Grants. In reply to the third question, forty-eight schemes for common funds were approved by the Board in accordance with their circular, dated February, 1903, namely, one for each association to which the Board paid Aid Grant under Schedule II., 12. The names of those associations are given in the published statement referred to above. In reply to the fourth question, the schemes, approved did not provide for an official audit; some of them provided for the submission of annual accounts to a general meeting. In reply to the fifth and sixth questions, the Board have no information as to the receipts of these associations other than Aid-Grant; and have no infor- 265W mation as to their expenditure or balances. In reply to the seventh question, the Board have no power by code or regulation, to require the audit or publication of the accounts of these associations.