§ VISCOUNT CRANBORNE (Rochester)On behalf of my noble Friend the Member for Greenwich, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a resolution passed by the London Diocesan Conference in regard to truant, industrial, and 519 reformatory schools; whether, in such schools, children are simply classified in respect of their religion as Protestant and Roman Catholic; and, if so, whether he will take steps to secure that children belonging to the Church of England shall be distinguished from Nonconformists and from Jews; whether he will further take steps 10 secure that children belonging to the Church of England in such schools are brought to attend the services of that Church, and of no other denomination, and are instructed, if possible, under the supervision of a clergyman, in the faith of that Church as expounded in the Catechism; and whether he will cause magistrates to be reminded of the obligation laid on them by 29th and 30th. Vic, cap. 118, to ascertain the religious belief of children before sending them to an industrial school, and to specify it in the order of detention?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTYes, I have received the resolution of the conference. The general rule as to classification is that children are distinguished, according to the particular denomination to which their parents are reputed to be long, as Church of England, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, etc. The rules require that children shall attend, as far as practicable, services and instruction conducted by ministers of the denominartions to which they are stated to belong; and it is the Home Office practice to prevent, so far as possible, the compulsory attendance of children of one denomination at the services of another. It is not usual, however, nor I think expedient, to prescribe the doctrines or formularies to be taught by the Church of England clergyman who has access to the children. I have every reason to believe that magistrates are mindful of their obligations under the Act. I may add that a circular was issued to them some years ago requesting them to use terms more specific than "Protestant" in describing the denomination of a child in the order of detention.
§ VISCOUNT CRANBORNEWill my right honourable Friend take care that such a thing as this shall not happen—that a child will be sent to the Church of England in the morning, and to a Dissenting chapel in the afternoon, and 520 that that procedure shall be reversed the next Sunday?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTThe object of the rule is to prevent the compulsory attendance of children belonging to one denomination at the services of another denomination.
§ VISCOUNT CRANBORNEBut will my right honourable Friend see that the rule is enforced?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTI have no information that it is not carried out.