§ MR. LABOUCHEREI beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether his attention has been drawn to the closing of the Infant Department of the Board School, Rawnsley, Staffordshire; whether he is aware that there was sufficient accommodation for infants at the Rawnsley School, and that such closing was resolved on against the express 1152 wish and despite the protest of the parents of the children attending the school; whether, prior to closing such infant school, the Cannock School Board satisfied the Education Department that the infant school was unnecessary, or whether the school has been closed without the sanction of the Education Department; whether he is aware that the nearest school is Hazel Slade Church School, 1,726 yards distant from the Rawnsley School, and more than a mile and a half distant from the homes of some of the infant children, who have, in consequence, to walk from four to six miles, twice going and returning each day; whether parents of infants residing in Rawnsley have been prosecuted for not sending their children to Hazel Slade Church School; whether bye-laws of the Cannock School Board have been, recently altered so as to deprive the parents of excuse if residing more than one mile from the school; and whether the Department will cause inquiry to be made in the matter?
§ SIR W. HART DYKEA small infants' class, which was attached to the Board School at Rawnsley for some years, has been discontinued, but I am not aware on what grounds. No complaint has been made as to the inadequacy or inconvenience of the present accommodation for infants; but in view of the circumstances described by the hon. Member, the Department will make further inquiries. The alteration of the byelaws has only reduced the limit which constitutes a reasonable excuse, from two and a half miles, to two miles.