HC Deb 28 April 1893 vol 11 cc1482-3
MR. ROBERT WALLACE (Edinburgh, E.)

I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether his attention has been called to a statement in The Daily Chronicle of the 27th instant as to the number of children compelled by law to receive instruction in the public schools of Leeds while in a state of total or partial starvation; whether he can communicate any results of the inquiry that is proceeding into this subject; and when he expects to lay the completed Report before the House?

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. ACLAND,) York, W. R., Rotherham

Inquiries were addressed to 20 of the most important School Boards on this subject, and the Department have now received replies from 15, among which is the Report from Leeds on which the statement in The Daily Chronicle referred to by the hon. Member was based. The Reports from some of the largest Boards, however (including those of London, Birmingham, and Liverpool) have not yet been received, and until the inquiry is completed I do not think it would be advisable to lay any partial results before the House.