§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether the School Board for Tottenham has been authorised by the Department to reckon its school accommodation at eight square feet instead of ten per child in average attendance; whether he is aware that in Noel Park School 1250 under that Board the girl's department with places for 400 at ten square feet, or 500 at eight square feet, has had recently 667 on the register, with an average attendance of 556 during one week, a highest attendance of 580, and an average for the whole of last quarter of 511; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the circumstances, and discourage such overcrowding?
§ SIR W. HART DYKEThe hon. Member is probably aware that the question of the school accommodation has for some time been urgent at Tottenham, and that the Department recently took the extreme step of declaring the School Board in default. The present Board is working energetically to repair the neglect of its predecessor, and it is only pending the supply of the deficiency in the neighbourhood of the Noel Park School that the Department has, under the power given by Article 85 of the Code, temporarily sanctioned the accommodation in the girls' school being calculated at eight instead of ten square feet. I am not aware that the school has been crowded to the extent which the hon. Member believes, but the grant will be endangered if the average attendance for the year is allowed to exceed 500.
§ MR. PICTONFor how long has the rule been suspended?
§ SIR. W. HART DYKEI cannot say without inquiry the exact time, but some months at all events.
§ MR. PICTONIs accommodation being provided now?
§ SIR W. HART DYKEYes; we are getting on as quickly as possible.