§ MR. MANSFIELDI beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Education, in view of the fact that the only objections to the scheme of the Holland County Council for the constitution of the Education Authority came from the Urban Councils of Spalding and Sutton Bridge, who did so in response to a letter from the Board of Education, and that these districts are handing over their Board schools to the authority to the value of £12,000, he will explain why the Councils representing these districts have not been given any representation on the authority, and why the scheme was sanctioned by the Education Department.
§ SIR WILLIAM ANSONThe letter from the Board of Education referred to by the hon. Member appears to be a notice published by the County Council on behalf of the Board stating that any protests against the scheme for the formation of the Education Committee should be addressed to the Board within a fixed period of time. This notice is referred to in the petition against the scheme presented by the urban districts of Spalding and Sutton Bridge. After careful consideration of the petition the Board came to the conclusion that the requirements of the Act were fully complied with; and that therefore this was a question which might fairly be left to the discretion of the Council, who decided, after considering the petition (which was sent to the County Council by the Board of Education for their consideration), that it was not necessary to give the direct representation prayed for.
§ MR. MANSFIELDIs the hon. Baronet aware that the Education Department asked the Spalding Urban Council if they approved the scheme, that the Spalding Council met and discussed the 1806 question and asked for representation on the Education Authority; that the Board of Education replied they would decline to sanction the scheme until an explanation was given, but that on the same day that this reply was received by the Spalding Council, the County Council announced that their scheme had received the sanction of the Board: and further the Spalding Urban Council has received no explanation of this matter from the Board.
§ SIR WILLIAM ANSONThe Spalding Council received through the County Council the notice which I have mentioned. On receiving a protest from the Spalding Council, dated 30th April, the Board of Education, on 2nd May, despatched a formal reply in the following terms: "Adverting to your letter dated 30th April, I am directed to state that, before approving the scheme proposed by the Lincoln (Holland) County Council for the establishment of an Education Committee, the Board of Education will communicate with the Council with regard to the representations made in your letter." And the protest was on the same day despatched to the County Council. On the 4th May, the Board of Education received an acknowledgment of the receipt of this with a request for the early confirmation of the scheme. The scheme was approved on 7th May.