HC Deb 04 March 1918 vol 103 cc1744-6W
Mr. O'DONNELL

asked the Secretary for Scotland what amount, local rate and State Grant, was spent upon secondary education in Scotland for the years ending March, 1917 and 1918; and what amount is proposed to be spent in the year ending March, 1919?

Mr. MUNRO

I regret that the statistics asked for by my hon. Friend are not available. In Scotland primary and secondary education are both administered by the same authority, and certain Grants are given to school boards in respect of their expenditure as a whole, irrespective of the form of education given. The rate raised by school boards is for all purposes, and no part of it is specifically for primary education. It is, therefore, impossible to allocate either the Grants or the contribution from rates with anything like precision between primary and secondary education.

Mr. O'DONNELL

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the amount of the State Grant for secondary education for England and Wales, respectively, in the years ending March, 1917, 1918, and 1919?

Mr. HERBERT FISHER

The sums appearing in the Estimates for Grants under the Board's Regulations for secondary schools and for Grants in Aid of Welsh intermediate schools in the years ending 31st March, 1917, and 31st March, 1918, respectively, were:

(a) For schools in England £729,140
(b) For schools in Wales £118,360
in 1916–17; and
(a) For schools in England £1,141,200
(b) For schools in Wales in 1917–18. £167,450

As regards the financial year 1918–19, I would refer the hon. Member to the Estimates, copies of which will, I understand, shortly be circulated.

Mr. O'DONNELL

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the average salary paid to principals and assistants, male and female, respectively, in secondary schools in Wales under public control; and the total number of such schools, of teachers, and of students?

Mr. FISHER

The latest available figures as to the salaries and numbers of teachers in secondary schools in Wales which are in receipt of Grants from the Board of Education relate to the 31st January, 1914, when there were 1,014 full-time teachers and 278 part-time teachers in those schools. The average salaries of head masters and head mistresses on that date were £379 and £311, respectively; and of full-time assistant masters and mistresses £158 and £125, respectively. The number of schools in receipt of Grants from the Board on 1st October, 1917, was 118, and the number of pupils in those schools on that date 21,538.