HC Deb 27 June 1906 vol 159 cc933-4
DR. MACNAMARA

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether any school, contracted-out under his Amendment to Clause 4 of the Education Bill, would be permitted to fall back to the system of one-man management; and, if not, whether he can state what arrangements, if any, it is proposed to take in respect to the management of such school.

MR. BIRRELL

The Government are most anxious to avoid any possibility of these schools falling back into a condition of things in which their management is in the hands of one individual. It is already laid down, in Article 51 (b) of the Code, as a condition of the payment of grants, that every public elementary school, not maintained by a local education authority, must have a responsible body of managers. This Article continues in the Code, and as it will apply to the schools referred to by the hon. Member, I think adequate security is provided against the danger to which he refers.

DR. MACNAMARA

Will the local authority managers be continued in office?

MR. BIRRELL

I do not think so.

LORD BALCARRES (Lancashire, Chorley)

Will the Amendments on the Paper re-establish something analogous to the old boards of management?

MR. BIRRELL

I do not think so.

LORD R. CECIL (Marylebone, E.)

Has the right hon. Gentleman considered whether a State-aided school will be a public elementary school?

MR. BIRRELL

That is a point which I think is in doubt at the present time. If it is a public elementary school, of course the conditions of the Code will apply to it. If it is not, there may be a gap in that respect, and I should have to see that it was altered.

SIR E. CARSON (Dublin University)

When will the right hon. Gentleman put down his Amendment on that point?

MR. BIRRELL

I do not know; I have not made up my mind.

SIR E. CARSON

Will it be before or after the closure?

[No Answer was returned.]