§ MR. HERMONasked the Vice-President of the Council, Whether in boroughs and other places where it has been ascertained that ample school accommodation exists it is the intention 838 of the Government to give power to some other authority to compel the attendance of children, without the necessity of forming a School Board?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, in reply, that if the hon. Gentleman would refer to the Elementary Education Act, he would see that the Government had no power to authorize any local body except the school board to compel the attendance of children. Even if the Government were of opinion that any local body should be so empowered—and he could not state that such was their opinion—the Act did not confer on them any authority of this nature.