HC Deb 20 February 1890 vol 341 cc730-1
MR. MUNDELLA (Sheffield, Brightside)

I bog to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether, although the Department first called attention to the deficiency of accommodation in York, in consequence of which the School Board was formed, more than three years ago, namely, on 16th December, 1886, and the School Board was elected on 16th February, 1889, the Education Department on 24th March, 1887, wrote, calling attention to the special deficiency of accommodation in the centre of the city, and stated that Her Majesty's Inspector, Mr. French, in 1871 called attention to this fact, and stated further that the school needed had never been provided; whether his attention has been called to the recommendation, in January, 1888, of the Committee which endeavoured to meet the deficiency by voluntary effort— That an entirely new school should be built upon land near to Clifford Street, or some other suitable site in the centre of the city, capable of accommodating from 300 to 400 children, probably boys only. And, whether, seeing that he is of opinion that such a school as that projected by the Kilburn Sisters could not be accepted as supplying any part of the deficiency mentioned in the final notice, and seeing that the School Board for York has now been in existence a year, the Department will now, in accordance with its statutory duty, send a requisition to the York School Board to supply the needed accommodation in the centre of the city?

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMUTEE OF COUNCIL (Sir W. HART DYKE, Kent, Dartford)

The first paragraph of the right hon. Gentleman's question can be answered in the affirmative, but I cannot trace the specific recommendation, dated January, 1888, to which he refers. It is, however, indisputable that a part of the deficiency is in the centre of the city, and the School Board have accepted the offer of the Church Extension Association to supply the school needed. Until, therefore, the Department are satisfied that the school will not be of the required type, or in the required place, or is not being supplied with due dispatch, it will be unnecessary to issue a requisition.

MR. MUNDELLA

Are we to understand that part of the accommodation which the School Board is to get will be supplied by the Kilburn Sisters?

SIR W. HART DYKE

No doubt part of the accommodation will be ultimately supplied by the Body mentioned.