asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has informed the London County Council that Parliamentary sanction must be sought before the Council can be released from their statutory obligation in respect of the London day continuation schools; whether Parliamentary sanction was likewise obtained for discontinuance, under parallel conditions, of the Birmingham day continuation schools and, if not, by what authority the Birmingham schools have been discontinued without the knowledge and consent of the House?
The answer to the first part of the right hon. Member's question is in the affirmative, and to the second part is in the negative. I did not authorise the discontinuance of the schools, but in view of the financial position and the decision of the city council not to provide the funds necessary for conducting the schools on a basis of obligatory attendance, I did not consider it practicable to insist on a continuance of the expenditure to the extent of reducing the grant in respect of other services of higher education.