§ Mr. Leckieasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware of the inadequate progress being made by the National Fitness Council working through the 226W organisation which has been set up to carry on its administrative work; whether he will now consider an alternative method by handing over to the local education authority in each area the powers now committed to the county committees, as with their local knowledge the local education authorities would be able to deal more effectively and promptly with local requirements than the present administrators?
Mr. LindsayThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and my Noble Friend accordingly sees no occasion for introducing the legislation that would be necessary to carry into effect the suggestion made in the second part. The existing powers of local education authorities are already such as to enable them to make a very substantial contribution to the national fitness movement.