§ MR. BRIDGEMAN (Shropshire, Oswestry)To ask the President of the Board of Education if he has received a petition from the ratepayers of Hawarden parish against the proposal to erect a new provided school for all standards; if he is aware that of the 740 children stated to need school accommodation 80 have now left the district; that neither the Church school of Shotton nor the neighbouring council schools of Queen's Ferry and Church school of Sandycroft are full; that the attendance in each of these schools has declined in the last year; and that the only house building projected in the neighbourhood is on the other side of the Dee, in the district of Sealand; and whether, under these circumstances, the Board will reconsider the proposal, in the interest of the ratepayers.
(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) Yes, Sir; such a petition was received and duly considered. I am not aware that 80 children have left the neighbourhood, but if that be the case there would still remain 660 children for whom the only permanent school within the district apart from the Queen's Ferry School, which is overcrowded, accommodates 282. My information is to the effect that the Church school at Shotton and the Queen's Ferry School are full or over-full. The Sandycroft School is not available owing to distance. I see no reason for reopening the question as to the necessity of a new school; but, on the question of numbers, I will make inquiries as to the points which the hon. Member has raised.