HC Deb 30 March 1885 vol 296 c972
MR. CUBITT

asked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether it is the intention of the Government to rearrange the School Board Divisions of London, which were originally formed to correspond as nearly as possible with the Metropolitan Parliamentary Boroughs, so as to adapt them to the new Metropolitan representation under the Redistribution of Seats Bill?

MR. MUNDELLA

By Section 87 of the Elementary Education Act, 1870, the members of the London School Board must be elected by the 10 divisions specified in the 5th Schedule, the boundaries of which are defined by an order of the Education Department. It would be impossible to re-arrange the School Board divisions to correspond with the new Parliamentary divisions except by a special Act of Parliament; and if Members of the School Board were elected in the same number, and for the same area, as Members of Parliament, the cumulative vote would be inapplicable. As a Committee has just been appointed to inquire into the working of the cumulative vote, I think it would be better to defer the consideration of any important changes until that Committee has reported.