§ Mr. ALLEN PARKINSONasked the Paresident of the Board of Education whether it is intended that the Education (Provision of Meals) Act is only to apply to the extent of the Government grant for this purpose for 1922–23; and whether effective co-operation with Poor Law authorities, as laid down by the circular issued, means that any costs incurred beyond the limits of the grant stated must be met by the Poor Law authorities from the rates?
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§ Mr. FISHERA local education authority has power under the Education (Provision of Meals) Act, 1914, to spend out of the rates such sums as may be necessary to meet the cost of the provision of food under Section 3 of the Provision of Meals Act, 1906, without the consent of the Board of Education. This power is not affected by the limitation of the amount of expenditure under these Acts in aid of which Government grant is available. As regards the second part of the question, the view of the Government, after reviewing the expenditure under the Provision of Meals Acts since 1908, is that the available grant for 1922–23 should suffice to meet all reasonable and proper expenditure under those Acts. The relief of destitution as such is not a matter for local education authorities and the education rate.