Mr. ROBINSONasked the President of the Board of Education under what local authorities there is now free secondary education; what authorities have indicated their intention of abolishing fees in secondary schools; and what authorities, as a result of the special grant inaugurated by the late Government, have increased their provision of free places?
§ Lord E. PERCYNo fees are charged to ordinary pupils in secondary schools in the areas of authorities in England and Wales, as follow:
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Number of Schools. Braford 9 Halifax 2 Manchester 5
Number of Schools. Oldham 1 Salford 2 Smethwick 1 Sheffield 4 Wallasey 2 Cardiff 4 Glamorgan 6 Rhondda 4 Swansea 2 Merthyr Tydfil 3 Newport (Mon.) 2 The local authority for Plymouth has recently sought the Board's permission to abolish fees. I have not as yet information as to the extent to which the special grant established by my predecessor led local authorities to provide additional free places, but I believe the effect of the grant to have been small. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a Circular recently issued on the subject.