§ MR. FLOWER (Bradford, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will state how many children there now are in the Poor Law Schools at Sutton, and why the order issued by the Department to close those schools on 30th March, 1898, which expired on 30th September, 1899, has not been carried into effect.
§ MR. WALTER LONGAccording to Returns for the week ended 27th April the lumber of children in the Brighton Road and Banstead Road Schools at Sutton was 1,558. It has been found necessary to postpone the dissolution of the South Metropolitan School District in order to enable the guardians of the poor law 759 unions in the district to complete the provision they are making for the accommodation elsewhere of the children now in the schools. I am very desirous that the dissolution of the district should take place at the earliest date practicable.
§ MR. FLOWERHas the time been indefinitely extended or has a date been named?
§ MR. WALTER LONGIt is extended pending satisfactory arrangements being made by the guardians. It would be no use fixing a date unless we were satisfied that by that date the new accommodation will be ready. Meanwhile, the hon. Member may rest assured that everything we can do is being done to secure the change taking place at the earliest possible moment.