§ MR. HICKasked the Vice President of the Council, Why it is made a condition in new schools that, in order to be entitled to a building grant, they should not exceed twenty feet in width; and, since it is found both inconvenient and 1167 difficult to comply with such condition, whether he would be disposed to modify it?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERreplied that the condition referred to was determined upon by the Council after very considerable inquiry, and was the result of all the knowledge which they had acquired by means of their Inspectors. The width fixed upon was the same as that adopted for the practising schools used in the training colleges. Under these circumstances, he could not hold out any hope that the condition would be modified, for two reasons—first, as building grants were now coming to an end, there would be scarcely time to make any alteration in the condition; and, secondly, as it was believed that it was an advantage to have schools of the width indicated in the hon. Member's Question, the Council, who paid so much per square foot, could not undertake to pay public money for space which they regarded as being unnecessary.