§ MR. A. ALLEN (Christchurch)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the London County Council have asked for the recognition of Douglas Hall, Hoxton, as a provided school for the purpose of accommodating children from St. John's Church of England School during the reconstruction of the school; and whether, seeing that it is proposed to transfer the children, staff, and managers en bloc from St. John's School to Douglas Hall, and subsequently to transfer them to St. John's School, and thus, in fact, to defray the whole expenses of a non-provided school out of the rates, the Board will decline to sanction the proposal.
I beg also to ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that Douglas Hall, Hoxton, to which the London County Council propose to transfer the children from St. John's School, is the hall of a political club; and whether, under the circumstances, the Board will decline to sanction the arrangement.
§ MR. RUNCIMANIn reply to these Questions, the building referred to was, I understand, in use before the approval of the Board was asked. I am not aware that it is the hall of a political club, but in view of the unsatisfactory character of the premises the Board's sanction has been given only on the understanding that their use is discontinued after the summer holidays. The attention of the London County Council has been drawn to the fact that it is not open to them to provide premises, even of a temporary nature, for a voluntary school and they have been informed that it will, therefore, be necessary that a building should be hired by the managers of the St. John's School or alternatively that recognition as a council school should be applied for.
§ MR. S. COLLINS (Lambeth, Kennington)asked whether it was necessary under Section 8 of the Education Act to give notice of the intention to use these premises as a school.
§ MR. RUNCIMANasked for notice of that Question.