empowered, where they wished, to raise the school-leaving age to 15, the adult education grant was tripled, maintenance allowances for young people in secondary schools were increased, state scholarships (which had previously been in suspense) were restored, the proportion of free places in secondary schools was increased, approval was given to forty new secondary schools, a survey was carried out to provide for the replacement of as many of the more insanitary or obsolete schools as possible, and forty was set as the maximum class size in elementary school. Restrictions on education spending imposed by the previous government were removed, while local authorities were encouraged to increase the number of free secondary school places. In addition, an Education Act was passed which created an English secondary school system between the ages of 11–14. The restriction on maintenance allowances given by Local Authorities was removed, with the previous rule being that 20% of the expenditure was given as grant by the Board to the Local Authorities, but this was raised to 50%. In addition, restrictions on grants for providing meals for children were removed. Spending on adult education was increased, with the grant-in-aid increased from £20,600 to £30,500 pounds, while a small expansion of central and secondary schools took place. The Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act restored minimum wages for agricultural workers. County committees were established with the power to fix wages, together with a central wages board to supervise the county awards. The act helped bring about a substantial improvement over most of the country, with agricultural wages being quickly increased to 30 shillings a week (a higher level in certain counties) under the wage committees. In addition, a Conservative bill "to attenuate the powers of the Trade Boards" was dropped. Cuts in both direct and indirect taxation were also made which were hailed as representing a victory for working people, with the chancellor Philip Snowden describing the programme as representing "the greatest step ever taken towards the Radical idea of the free breakfast table." Miner's silicosis was included within the provisions for workmen's compensation, under the Workmen's Compensation (Silicosis) Act of 1924 while the London Traffic Act 1924, which provided for the regulation of London traffic, regulated privately owned public transport; setting timetables and safety standards. A law was introduced which modified the right of a landlord to obtain possession of a house for his own family's use, where unnecessary