§ Mr. L. SMITHasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the payment made by his Department for air mails is in accordance with their weight, and the desire of business people to send brief communications at low cost by air mail for which postcards are unsuitable in view of the lack of privacy, he will permit the use of air mail letter-cards, weighing up to quarter-ounce, at half the rates now charged for half-ounce letters?
§ Sir K. WOODAs indicated in my answer to my hon. Friend's question on 31st October, a reduced rate for letter-cards would entail a large diversion of light letters to the new service, with a corresponding loss of revenue, which
518Wcome under the public control of local education authorities; the fees charged per pupil; what are the grants paid to such schools; upon what basis are they paid; and what was the total amount of such payments from State funds for 1913, 1920, 1925, 1930 and 1931, giving the figures separately for England and Wales?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThe number of secondary schools in receipt of direct grant in England and Wales is 239, of which 230 are in England and nine in Wales. The average of the tuition fees charged is about £20 per pupil annually. Particulars of the rates of grant paid to the schools are given in Articles 17 to 22 of the current regulations for secondary schools. The total amounts paid by the Board to the schools in the years referred to were as follow:
could only be offset by increasing the charges on a, half-ounce letter. I regret, therefore, that I am unable to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion.