§ Colonel Clarkeasked the Minister of Education what is the number of children now being maintained at the school evacuated from Rochester to the camp at Wren's Warren, in the parish of Hart-field, Sussex; what is the present annual cost per child of maintaining and educating these children, including any rent or other charges payable in respect of the occupation of the camp; and from what sources and in what proportions this cost is being met.
§ Mr. ButlerThe present number of children at the Wren's Warren camp is 64. The annual cost of maintaining these children amounts to £172 per child. Towards this sum parents contribute according to their means up to a maximum of 6s. per week per child under the Government Evacuation Scheme and except for a small fraction allocated to the Rochester Education Account in respect of heating, lighting and cleaning the classrooms, the balance is met by the Exchequer through the Evacuation Account. Figures are not available for the cost of teachers' salaries and other educational expenses, but the arrangements made are similar to those current in public elementary schools, the cost of which averaged in 1938 about £15 per child per annum and is met in approximately equal proportions from local rates in Rochester and Ministry of Education grants.