Sir J. D. REESasked the President of the Board of Education whether the order for raising the necessitous area rate from 2s. 3d. to 4s. in the £ will be laid upon the Table for 30 days before it becomes operative, in order that this heavy increase in rating may be fully considered before it is enforced?
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§ Mr. FISHERThe Regulations in question, dated 1st March, 1920, were published in draft on the 5th March, 1920, and copies were presented to Parliament and circulated to local education authorities. The publication of draft proposed grant Regulations must be for a period of 40 days, during which time it is open to persons and bodies interested to make representations to the Board with regard to them. At the end of the period of publication the Board must consider these representations, and may then make the Regulations with or without Amendment. This procedure, which is laid down by Section 44 (6) of the Education Act, 1918, and the Rules Publication Act, 1893, was deliberately adopted in order to meet the convenience of the local education authorities.