HC Deb 04 May 1922 vol 153 cc1569-70W
Lieut.-Colonel JAMES

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received representations from county education committees to the effect that the local education authorities, quâ such, have never been consulted in the matter of the new form in which education accounts are to be submitted for audit, and that owing to the fact that demands for the accounts to ho presented in this new form arrived almost at the end, rather than at the beginning, of the financial year, he will suspend the putting into effect this new form of accountancy, and cause inquiries to be made as to the additional administrative expenditure incurred thereby before putting it into force?

Sir A. MOND

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the full reply which was given on Monday last by my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Education, to a question on this subject.

Major STEEL

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the advisability of postponing the instructions laid down in the Education Accounts (Annual Statement) Order, 1921, dated 13th December, 1921, in view of the fact that the carrying out of these instructions will involve a large amount of additional administrative work and necessitate the employment of an additional staff of clerks with consequent additional expense?

Sir A. MOND

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the previous replies which have been given on this subject and particularly to the reply given on Monday last by my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Education.