§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he has received an application for the opening of an additional school at Norton Canes, Staffordshire; whether Article 80 prohibits the opening of unnecessary schools; whether the population being 2,280, the existing accommodation being 424, and further accommodation for 54 more children being nearly completed, the supply of 478 places is considerably higher than the Government requirements demand?
§ MR. ACLANDArticle 80 of the Code (which, as regards districts under a School Board, puts in force the provisions of Section 98 of the Act of 1870) provides that no school which is unnecessary shall receive Parliamentary grants. Application was recently made to the Department for the recognition of a new school at Norton Canes. After very full and careful inquiry it appeared that school accommodation was required in the district for 478 children. The existing school has accommodation for 447, and when enlarged will accommodate 501. But the population is increasing, and the School Board for the district supported the application of the new school. In these circumstances the Department, following the general practice in similar cases, which was confirmed by a decision of the late Government in 1890, have allowed the new school to be placed on the Annual Grant list.