§ MR. JAMES STUART (Shoreditch, Hoxton)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received a letter from the Guardians 83 of the Poor of Shoreditch, bringing under his notice the subject of elementary education in Poor Law schools and its severance from the Education Department, and asking that the education in Poor Law schools should be placed under the Education Department; whether he is prepared to take any steps to carry out this wish; and what reply he has given to the Guardians of Shoreditch. I may also ask, at the same time, whether he has taken any steps to carry out the recommendation of the Poor Law Schools Committee in reference to placing the education of the children in the metropolitan Poor Law schools under the inspection of the Education Department; and, if not, what are the difficulties which stand in the way; and whether such obstacles require legislation for their removal.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (for MR. H. CHAPLIN)I will answer the two questions of the hon. Member together. As regards the first, I have received a letter from the Shoreditch Board of Guardians on this subject. A reply has not at present been sent, as the matter is receiving my consideration. As regards the second question, I communicated with the Education Department with reference to the recommendation of the Poor Law Schools Committee that Poor Law Schools should be inspected by inspectors of that Department so far as the education work in the schools is concerned. The Education Department, however, felt a difficulty in assenting to this arrangement, unless the inspection of the schools was transferred to them in its entirety, including not only the education given in the schoolroom but also the boarding and other arrangements. In this I was unable to concur. Pending the settlement of the question temporary arrangements have been made for the inspection of the schools. Legislation would probably be necessary in connection with any transfer of duties in this matter.