§ MR. CALEB WRIGHT (Lancashire, S.W., Leigh)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he has received a Petition from parents of more than 1,000 children in Atherton, Lancashire, for free places in the day schools; whether he has received from the Atherton School Attendance Committee statements to the effect that two scrutinisers visited the parents and reported that many of them have withdrawn their names; whether he has also received signed statements from some of the parents declaring that the scrutinisers told them that their rents would be raised if they demanded free places for their children, and that the names of some parents had been withdrawn without their consent; and if he could cause inquiry to be made into all the circumstances of the case?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. ACLAND, York, W.R., Rotherham)Petitions have been received purporting to have come from parents of 1,646 children at Atherton desiring free education. The School Attendance Committee have stated that many of the parents have withdrawn their names. Signed statements have been received from some of the parents to the effect that the scrutinisers told them that their rents would be raised if they claimed free places for their children, and also to the effect that the names of some parents had been withdrawn without their consent. The case is being carefully inquired into.
§ MR. LEES KNOWLES (Salford, W.)I wish to ask a supplemental question of which I have given private notice.
§ MR. ACLANDI have received none.
§ MR. LEES KNOWLESIt is whether several persons whose names appear on the Petition have stated that they did not sign it; whether several persons who have signed it have since asked leave to withdraw their names, and from how many persons were received the signed statements referred to? Further, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the managers of various voluntary schools, including a Roman Catholic free school and a so-called British school held in the Unitarian schoolroom, have recently decided to add to the number of free places available in their schools, in case of any real demand, and that there are even now a few vacant free places in the Church schools, as well as more than 150 vacant free places in the Roman Catholic schools for children between 7 and 15 years of age, besides ample accommodation for infants?
§ MR. ACLANDThat is a question which I cannot answer without notice.
§ MR. LEES KNOWLESHow many persons sent in the signed statement referred to in the question?
§ MR. ACLANDI am afraid I cannot say that, from the information I have before me.