§ MR. J. CARVELL WILLIAMS (Notts,) MansfieldI beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he is aware that the School Attendance Committee, at Heywood has summoned for non-attendance at school 57 parents of children who were formerly scholars in the lately-closed United Methodist Free Church School; and that the parents having, on various grounds, refused to send their children to the other schools in the town, the School Attendance Committee has adjourned all the cases, pending the receipt of information from the Education Department; whether he is aware that the Heywood Town Council, on the 11th instant, resolved for the third time to apply to the Department to order a School Board to be formed, in accordance with Section 12 of the Education Act, 1870; and whether, having regard to these and other facts, and to the disturbed state of feeling in the town, the Department will, without further delay, reply to the repeated requests of the Town Council, for the appointment of a School Board?
§ SIR J. GORSTMy attention has been drawn to the facts mentioned in the first and second paragraphs. The question of the formation of a School Board is still under consideration; but I ought to point out that, even if a Board were formed, the scruples of those who will not send their children to the existing schools would not be obviated. The Board could not build a new school unless there were a deficiency of accommodation, not in course of being supplied. At present there is not.