asked the Minister of Education what is the minimum maintenance allowance for a child of 16 at school he is prepared to approve in the case of a family with one child and a gross income of £4 10s. per week; and how many of the scales submitted to him by local education authorities in response to Circular 189 are unsatisfactory in this or other respects.

In the case mentioned I would not normally regard as adequate any allowance which fell below £26 a year. Of the 112 replies so far received to Circular 189, 76 have been examined. I have criticised 24 of these on the grounds that the amounts payable are inadequate, and I have commented on 27 others for other reasons.