Duchess of ATHOLLasked the Secretary of State for Scotland under what circumstances Scottish education authorities are empowered to provide maintenance allowances for children attending primary schools; for how many weeks in the year these allowances are given; and whether Government grant is available for this purpose?
Mr. W. ADAMSONThe circumstances under which Scottish education authorities are empowered to grant maintenance allowances are stated in Section 4 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1918. Subject to the provisions of Subsections (1) and (3) of that Section, and to the provisions of each authority's scheme for the exercise of such powers, as approved by the Department under Section 6 (1,b) of the same Act, maintenance allowances may be granted to enable children to attend any post-primary department providing at least a three-years' course of instruction beyond the stage known as the "qualifying stage." Allowances are as a rule made on a sessional, not on a weekly, basis. No grant is specifically earmarked to aid the expenditure on maintenance allowances, but the general grant made under 1489W Section 21 (2, a) of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1918, is available for this purpose.