MR. J. CARVELL WILLIAMS (Notts, Mansfield)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether the School 151 Attendance Committee of the borough of Southport have informed the Education Department that the free places in the Elementary Schools of the borough, numbering about 1,200, which were applied for about a year ago, have been found; if not, what steps the Department proposes to take to secure such free places for the applicants; and whether, considering the great delay which has occurred, it is his intention to declare the School Attendance Committee in default, under Section 27 of the Education Act of 1876?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir JOHN GORST, Cambridge University)The School Attendance Committee informed the Department in November last that of the 350 free places which would still be required when the new Marshside School was built, 200 had already been granted, and that the Voluntary managers were prepared to grant the remaining 150 on application by the parents. The Marshside School was opened in May. There is no reason to suppose that the School Attendance Committee are in default.