§ MR. BRIGHT (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the resolution of the Shrewsbury Education Committee that the children in non-provided schools may be taken to places of worship during school hours, the attendance at such places of worship to count as school attendance; if so, in view of the provisions of the Education Act, what action the Board of Education proposes to take in the matter.
1350† See (4) Debates cxxxviii., 23.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Sir WILLIAM ANSON,): Oxford UniversityI have seen the resolution referred to. The local education authority for Shrewsbury is willing in the case of voluntary schools to recognise attendance in church as attendance at school for the purpose of religious instruction on occasions which must be specified by the managers and which must not exceed twelve in number in each year. So long as the conscience clause is observed and no direction of the local education authority as to secular instruction or by-law as to school attendance is in issue, there appears to be no occasion for the Board of Education to intervene.
§ SIR JOHN GORST (Cambridge University)May I ask under what provision of the Act has this authority made such a by-law?
§ SIR WILLIAM ANSONUnder the by-law making powers given in the Education Act of 1870.