HC Deb 14 August 1893 vol 16 cc131-3
MR. BARTLEY

I beg to ask the hon. Member for Merionethshire, as re- presenting the Charity Commission, whether, as Clause 91, Sections B and C, in the Merionethshire Scheme, under the Welsh Intermediate Education Act, prohibits the user of the formularies of any particular denomination in the family worship of a hostel or boarding-house of a school connected with such denomination, and the teaching of the distinctive tenets of any particular denomination to boarders in any such hostel unless the County Governing Body so allow, he will state what arrangement is to be made for securing denominational religious instruction to those children who, as boarders, will spend the greater part of their school life in such hostels or boarding-houses?

*THE PARLIAMENTARY CHARITY COMMISSIONER (Mr. T. E. ELLIS,) Merionethshire

The clause to which the hon. Member refers is drawn subject to the provisions of the section in the Endowed Schools Act of 1869, relating to religious instruction. The Scheme does not touch any school connected with any particular religious denomination. Clause 91 of the Scheme relates to a hostel or boarding-house forming part of the foundation of the school. The arrangement regarding special religious instruction for boarders is twofold. By Section C of the clause, the County Governing Body may make regulations enabling the person in charge of a hostel to give either by himself or by deputy religious instruction of a denominational character to boarders whose parents signify in writing a wish for such instruction. It is further expressly provided by Section A of Clause 91 that boarders shall be allowed to attend such places of worship and to have reasonable facilities for religious instruction from such religious teachers as their parents may choose for them.

SIR W. HART-DYKE (Kent, Dartford)

Kindly give the clause in the Endowed Schools Act?

MR. T. E. ELLIS

Section 16 of the Endowed Schools Act, 1869.

MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON

May I ask if this power, which is given in Section 91 of the Merionethshire Scheme, was not proposed in the original Intermediate Education Act, and refused by Parliament?

*MR. T. E. ELLIS

We have done our best to read the Act of 1869 and the Welsh Act and to apply them to the circumstances of the county, and the best declaration we can make is the Scheme.

MR. BARTLEY

Supposing the Local Authority does not think proper to allow this religious instruction at these schools, is there any power under the Endowed Schools Act by which that may be remedied, or does it entirely depend upon the wish of the Local Authority whether these children shall be taught religion at all?

MR. T. E. ELLIS

No, Sir. Section 9 most distinctly states— That boarders shall be allowed to attend such places of worship and to have reasonable facilities for religious instruction from such religious teachers as their parents may choose for them. I think nothing more full and ample could be provided.

VISCOUNT CRANBORNE

Does not this only refer to day scholars, and not to boarders?

*MR. T. E. ELLIS

I cannot pass judgment upon the hon. Member's interpretation, but the section clearly refers to boarders.