§ Mr. HAYES FISHERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the sum of £60,000, included in the estimates of the Board of Education under the head of grants towards the expenses of local authorities in respect of medical treatment of school children and services ancillary 170W thereto, represents the full extent of the grant to be given in the year 1912–13 towards the expenses incurred by local authorities in England and Wales for medical inspection and treatment of school children; whether it is proposed to limit the assistance given by the Imperial Exchequer to the optional service of medical treatment, leaving local authorities to bear the whole of the compulsory burden of medical inspection; whether he is now prepared to indicate the basis on which the new grant will be distributed; and whether, in allocating the grant, he will take into account the money already expended by a local authority?
§ Mr. J. A. PEASEPerhaps I may be allowed to answer this question. The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, but the amount to be made ultimately available for the purposes referred to will be considerably in excess of the sum provided in the Estimates for the year 1912–13. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. In answer to the third part of the question, I hope to be able to issue in a few days' time the regulations under which the Grant will be paid, and an explanatory circular. With regard to the last part of the question, in allocating the Grant the expenditure of the local education authorities during the previous year will be taken into account.