§ MR. COMBE (Surrey, Chertsey)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Privy Council whether a Committee of the Education Department reported (11th July, 1893) that a proposed new school for Working would not relieve the Board of the expense of a second school; and that the existing premises are perfectly suitable and available for the purpose of a public elementary school, &c.; whether his letter, dated 29th July, 1893, is intended to authorise the Board to diminish the educational facilities in a scattered district by abolishing two schools and erecting one; and whether, if a new school is sanctioned, the Board will still be required to maintain one of the others?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. ACLAND, York, W.R., Rotherham)The officers of the Department who held an inquiry at Working last July reported to the effect stated in the first paragraph of the question. The Department's letter of July 29 was intended to convey that if in the case of either or both of the existing schools a renewal of the lease under specified conditions could not be obtained, it would be open to the Board to build one or two new schools as the case might be. This has subsequently been explained to the Board. The Department consider that two schools should in any case continue to be maintained.