§ MR. BILL (Staffoidshire, Leek)To ask the Secretary to the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the fact that conflicting orders have been given to school managers by His Majesty's inspectors and those appointed by education committees of county councils with reference to structural alterations; and if he will consider the desirability of issuing a circular strictly defining the duties of His Majesty's inspectors in such cases.
(Answered by Sir William Anson.) His Majesty's inspectors have no power to give orders as to structural alterations; they report to the Board. It is for the Board to decide to what extent the inspector's suggestions shall be enforced; but in practice the local education authority has always an opportunity of expressing an opinion before a final decision is arrived at. The relations of a local authority's inspector to his authority are presumably of a similar character. Managers of voluntary schools possess a right of appeal to the Board as to the reasonableness of a local authority's requirements; and I do not think it would be necessary or desirable to issue a circular to His Majesty's inspectors on the subject of duties which are already clearly defined and understood.