§ Mr. BARKERasked the President of the Board of Education the number of secondary schools in 'England and Wales in 1924–25, the number of these schools that were recognised as efficient and received grants from public funds, the number of pupils in these schools, and the percentage of free places; and will he take steps to increase the number of free places in those schools?
§ Lord E. PERCYAccording to the returns for October last, the information asked for in the first part of the question is as follows:—
As regards the second part of the question, the number of free-place pupils is increasing, and I see no reason to take any action in the matter.
— Grant-aided. Not Grant-aided. Total. Schools 1,297 289 1,586 Pupils 367,290 54,519 421,809 Free Places (per cent.). 36.6 — —