MR. J. CARVELL WILLIAMS (Notts, Mansfield)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the production of a certificate; of baptism is required as a condition of admission to the Duke of York's School; and whether he is aware that the children of Baptists are thereby excluded; whether religious teaching in the school is provided only for the Church of England, Presbyterians and Roman Catholics, no other religious bodies being recognised by the 1053 War Office; and whether, in view of the fact that the Duke of York's Military School is maintained by a Parliamentary grant, and governed by a Board of Her Majesty's Commissioners, it is in the power of the Commissioners to frame regulations of a less restrictive character?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANAs boys in the Duke of York's School must be brought up in the religion in which they enter, the baptismal certificate is called for as evidence on the point, and not as a condition of admission; and I do not for a moment believe that the Commissioners would exclude a boy, otherwise qualified, because he was a Baptist. Religious instruction in the School is provided under four denominations, Wesleyan being additional to those named in the question. Probably, if there was a Baptist boy in the School, special arrangements could be made for his receiving instruction from a minister of his denomination; but there would be difficulty in further subdividing the regular religious training of the School.