§ Mr. Edeasked the Minister of Education if he intends so to amend any scheme regulating the trust of a secondary school in respect of which he acts as charity commissioner as to leave the fixing of tuition fees in the unfettered discretion of the governing body.
§ Mr. LawGenerally speaking, I should not regard it as consistent with my functions in respect of educational charities to abrogate any control which is vested in me over the amount of tuition fees to be charged in a school subject to my jurisdiction.
§ Mr. Edeasked the Minister of Education if his attention has been drawn to the proposals of the governors of certain secondary schools, established under trusts in respect of which he acts as charily commissioner, to raise their fees for tuition substantially, with the effect that the schools will be recruited entirely from families capable of paying comparatively high fees; and what steps he proposes to take to protect these charitable trusts from such an abuse and to keep these schools accessible to pupils of ability but of limited financial resources.
§ Mr. LawIn the majority of cases, schools regulated by schemes under the Charitable Trusts and Endowed Schools Acts require my approval to an increase in tuition fees above a figure prescribed in the scheme. I have already received proposals from certain schools for approval to an increase in fees, and I am aware that others are likely to be submitted. It has always been the practice of my Department to embody in schemes suitable provisions for securing that schools are accessible to poor pupils and to those with special residential qualifications in accordance with the general principles of charitable trusts and the intentions of particular founders. In considering any proposals for increases in tuition fees, I shall certainly satisfy myself that the interests of poor pupils and those with special residential or similar qualifications are adequately safeguarded.