§ MR. T. SNAPE (Lancashire, S.E., Heywood)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education (1) whether the sanction given by the Education Department, in October, 1891, to the St. Mark's National School, Old Street, Finsbury, to charge a fee of twopence per scholar, under section 4 (1) of the Education Act, 1891, was given on the assurance conveyed by the managers in their letter of 1st September, 1891, that they had provided for French, shorthand, book-keeping, science, and advanced vocal music to be taught; (2) whether the promised subjects of instruction have appeared in the school time table for any year since October, 1891; and (3) whether, seeing that the report of the school for the year ending 30th April, 1894, shows that these subjects were not 388 taught during that year, and that no children were presented in specific subjects, he intends to continue his sanction to the special fee?
§ MR. ACLANDThe statements in the first paragraph of the hon. Member's question are correct. T am not able on such brief notice to give precise details as to school time tables for the years since 1891; but it appears from the correspondence, that last year, at all events, no classes were being held in either the boys' or the girls' school in any of these subjects, nor were any children presented in specific subjects. The managers were, therefore, informed by the Department on the 18th December last that the sanction to special fees would be withdrawn as from the end of the school year now current, and that thenceforth any fees charged must be within the limit prescribed by Section 2 of the Act of 1891.