§ Mr. H. MACMILLANasked the President of the Board of Education what 1963W number of children between the ages of 11 and 14 are attending grant-aided secondary schools?
Mr. STANLEYAccording to returns submitted to the Board of Education there were approximately 237,000 children aged 11 and under 14 in attendance at grant-aided secondary schools in England and Wales on 1st October, 1935.
§ Mr. SHORTasked the President of the Board of Education what facilities exist in rural areas to assist the children of agricultural labourers to attend secondary schools, such as the number of free places, scholarship grants, and the provision of meals and transport?
Mr. STANLEYThe local education authorities of rural areas, in common with all other authorities, are required to award special places in secondary schools, that is, places which, in cases of financial need, carry total or partial remission of fees, to the extent of not less than 25 per cent. of the admissions in the previous year, and the number of such places actually awarded is, as a rule, considerably in excess of this minimum. In addition, a number of authorities award maintenance allowances, and defray the cost of meals and transport.
§ Mr. SHORTasked the President of the Board of Education whether he can state the number of children residing in rural areas attending secondary schools?
Mr. STANLEYI find some difficulty in giving the desired figures in the absence of precise information as to the areas which the hon. Member would wish to be included. If he will be good enough to inform me on this point, I shall be glad to give him the particulars for which he asks.