§ LORD H. CECIL (Greenwich)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the trust deed and rules of the Field Lane Ragged School forbid denominational religious teaching in that school; whether he intends to withdraw the certificate of that school as an industrial school in so far as regards Church of England children; and whether he intends in the future to grant certificates to schools which adopt Rule 4 of the Field Lane School?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTIt is not the case that the rules of this school forbid denominational religious teaching. 859 On the contrary, they provide, in strict accordance with section 25 of the Act of 1866, for the attendance of ministers of the different religious persuasions of the children as specified in the orders of detention for the purpose of instructing them in religion. Whether or not this is inconsistent with the provisions of the trust deed of the school is not for me to decide. No rules will be approved by me for any certified school which do not carry out both the spirit and the letter of the Act.
§ LORD H. CECILBut does not the trust deed expressly forbid it?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTThe trust deed does.