§ Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will give consideration to the need for an extension of the period in which educational authorities are entitled to the 50 per cent. grant for school building and development, and for an extension, in particular, where the local rates are above 13s. 6d. in the £?
Mr. LindsayMy Noble Friend has already given consideration to the desirability of extending the period during which the special grant to which the hon. Member refers will operate, and he has extended by two years the period which had originally been contemplated. He has now fixed 31st December, 1940, as the 1859W final date, as announced in Circular 1456, a copy of which I am sending the hon. Member. My Noble Friend does not regard it as practicable to differentiate in this respect between authorities according to their financial position.