HC Deb 24 March 1960 vol 620 cc658-9
26. Mr. Drayson

asked the Minister of Education why he has not pressed the West Riding Local Education Authority to arrange that where two brothers are eligible for a grammar school education they can both be admitted to the same school when places are available for them, and the headmaster in question has signified his willingness to accept both pupils and, particularly, in the case where one brother is already attending the school to which the younger brother wishes to be admitted.

Sir D. Eccles

Where local education authorities have vacancies in a suitable and accessible school of their own, I cannot, consistently with the terms of the Education Act, 1944, require them to take up plaices in a school not maintained by them.

Mr. Drayson

As regards the latter part of the Question, does not my right hon. Friend think that it is both unreasonable and inhuman to separate brothers in this way?

Sir D. Eccles

Local authorities normally take into consideration the obvious desirability of keeping members of a family together, but in this particular case I really have no power to ask the authority to take a place in Westmorland when it has one in its own school.