§ MR. ERNEST GRAY (West Ham, N.)To ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education, whether evening schools which were affected by the decision of the auditor, and which received sanction under the Education Act, 1901, may be continued during the winter of 1902–3, subject to Clause 20, sub-section (2), of the Education Bill now before Parliament, and whether such schools so continued must conform except as to management to the Regulations for Evening Schools recently issued, or to the Minute of the Board of Education, 3rd July 1901. Whether evening schools conducted by School Boards, and unaffected by the auditor's decision, may be conducted during the winter 1902–3, by the School Boards which have hitherto controlled them, or 693 whether evening schools except those already possessing the licence of the local municipal authority are to be conducted under the Regulations for Evening Schools, to be enforced from 1st August 1902 to 31st July 1903, and, if this latter course be adopted by the Board of Education, will he state from what funds the local contributions referred to in paragraph 5 of the Regulations are to be obtained.
(Answer.) Evening schools sanctioned under the Education Act, 1901, may be continued during the winter of 1902–3 under Clause 20 (2) of the Education Bill now before Parliament if it becomes law. If such schools are to receive grants from the Board of Education, they must conform to the Regulations for 1902–3, recently issued, which supersede the Regulations issued in 1901. There is nothing, which I am aware of, to prevent evening schools unaffected by the decision in R. v. Cockerton being carried on by School Boards as heretofore. I am directed to add that School Boards may rely on the assurance of the Government that their members will not be involved in any personal financial liability in respect of any proper expenditure in the ensuing school year in connection with evening schools and pupil teacher centres, or with any schools or classes that were carried on under The Education Act, 1901.—(Board of Education.)