§ MR. HORNIMAN ChelseaTo ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that students qualified for admittance to training colleges in the county of London are not allowed to enter their names for more than one, and that, should they fail to gain admittance for denominational or other reasons, the new regulations of the Board of Education requiring students 325 to be admitted to such colleges as the Borough Road Training College, Isleworth, according to priority of application, prevents the choice being made according to the ability of candidates, and practically debars some of the best from continuing their careers; and will he inquire of the principals of these colleges as to the working of these regulations.
(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The Board of Education are not aware that the authorities of any college have refused to accept applications from candidates who are known to them to be applying for admission to another college. The Board have not laid down any rule to the effect either that students may not enter their names for more than one college or that students must be admitted to a college according to priority of application. In these circumstances, and in view of the fact that certain modifications in the Board's regulations as to admission have to-day been published, I think I cannot advantageously take the step suggested in the concluding paragraph of the Question. But any special case of hardship or unreasonable exclusion that is brought to my notice will be most carefully considered.