Mr. Alexanderasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware that in future maintenance allowances to necessitous children attending an intermediate, selective central, school will only rank for Government grant if children have reached the age of 15 years before the beginning of the term in which the allowance becomes payable; and whether, in view of the great hardship this will entail, he will reconsider the matter with a view to continuing the present arrangement under which Government grant is payable in such circumstances in respect of pupils who have reached the age of 14 years at the commencement of the term for which the allowance becomes payable?
Mr. LindsayThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The question of the payment of maintenance allowances to children while still under the obligation to attend school was decided by this House in the negative, after a full Debate on 12th February, 1936, and my Noble Friend sees no reason for reconsidering the matter.