§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that the West Ham Education Committee have had reported to them by the North and South-West Ham After-Care Committees that they have noticed reluctance on the part of boys and girls to apply for work in other districts on the grounds that they cannot afford the fares to and from such districts involved in applying for situations which they are not sure of obtaining; that the West Ham educational authorities have no funds at their disposal for the payment of fares for boys and girls submitted by the juvenile employment bureaux for employment at a distance of more than three miles; and whether the Board of Education would be prepared to make grants to the committee in question for this purpose?
§ Lord E. PERCYI am not aware that such a report has been received by the West Ham Education Committee, but I believe that the same difficulty has been experienced in other areas. As regards the last part of the question, there does not appear to be any statutory provision which would enable a local education authority to defray or advance travelling fares in connection with applications for employment, and I could not make grants to the authority for this purpose.