§ MR. HUMPHREYS-OWEN (Montgomery)To ask the Secretary to the Board of Education, whether, having regard to the fact that informal suggestions by the Board of Education to County Councils as to the drafting of schemes under The Education Act, 1902, have been accepted by some councils as authoritative directions, the Board will in future, after giving publicity to any proposed scheme, and before the stage of final approval, give consideration to any objection to it, notwithstanding any informal approval which may previously have been given by the Board; and will he state what steps the Board will take for the purpose of making clear to local education authorities that suggestions previous to publication are not final, and of securing that due notice and opportunity for making objections shall be given before the approval of any scheme.
(Answered by Sir William Anson.) The object of publication is to give opportunity for making objections to the scheme thus published. It has been made abundantly clear to local authorities that the Board cannot approve until after the period of publication has expired, and that they are bound to pay attention to objections which may be lodged during that period.