§ MR. MUNDELLAasked the Vice President of the Council, If it is true that the Education Department has refused an annual grant to the Keynsham British School; and, if so, what are the grounds of such refusal?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONAn annual grant has been refused to a British school at Keynsham, which has recently been re-opened after having been closed for some five years. It was refused on the following grounds:—In 1871 a British school was closed at Keynsham; in 1872 the Department gave notice to the place that there was a deficiency of school accommodation for 38 children, and that if the British school was reopened with a certificated teacher, or 1895 the parish school enlarged to the extent I mentioned, no further accommodation would be required. The British school was not re-opened; but the National public elementary school complied with the request of the Department, and supplied the necessary accommodation at a considerable cost. The British school remained closed for five years, and this year we were informed that it was to be re-opened, and we were asked to give an annual grant. This we refused, as we considered it would be unfair to do so, considering that sufficient accommodation had been provided in a public elementary school at the bidding of the Department, because the British school declined to re-open its doors.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERasked whether the school district of Keynsham was under the School Board or not?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONI think not.
§ MR. MUNDELLAasked the noble Lord, whether it was competent for the Privy Council to refuse a grant to any school with a certificated teacher because there was a Church school in the district?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONreplied that if the hon. Member would give Notice of the Question he would answer it.
§ MR. MUNDELLAgave Notice that he would put the Question to-morrow.