MR. GRANT LAWSON (York, N.R., Thirsk)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he is aware that an Order for the election of a School Board at Nether Poppleton, Yorkshire, was issued on 25th February without any notice of the intention of the Education Department to form that parish into a School Board district being given to the inhabitants; whether such election is ordered to take place next Monday; and whether he will suspend such election until some reasonable opportunity has been given for supplying any deficiency in the school accommodation by voluntary effort?
§ MR. ACLANDThe managers of the Nether Poppleton School having given notice to the Department that they intended to close the school after the annual inspection, due this month, and there being no other school in the district, the Department issued an Order, on the 17th February, under Section 12 (2) of the Elementary Education Act, 1870, for the formation of a School Board. I understand that the election will take place on Monday next. Full notice was given to the managers of the school on 16th January that the Department intended to take this course, which is the usual one in the circumstances, and the managers stated in reply that they adhered to their determination to close the school. I see no reason to suspend the election of the School Board. There is nothing out of the ordinary course in the action of the Department.
MR. GRANT LAWSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the managers of the school are not inhabitants?
§ MR. ACLANDNo; I am not aware of that. But I do know that not much interest has been shown in educational matters there, and that the inhabitants will now have an opportunity of looking after the matter themselves.