§ MR. JESSE COLLINGS (Birmingham, Bordesley)To ask the President of the Board of Education if he will state the number of public elementary schools in England and Wales, stating as far as possible the number in rural, semi-rural, 744 and urban districts, respectively, and how many of such schools have school gardens or land attached to them.
(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The information required for the classification adopted in the Question is not readily available, but I may say that on 1st August, 1907, there were 14,807 schools in county areas, exclusive of those boroughs and urban districts which are local education authorities for the purposes of Part III. of the Education Act, 1902; but a considerable proportion of those schools are, of course, situated in the smaller boroughs and urban districts. With regard to the last part of the Question, I may refer the right hon. Gentleman to the Answers which I gave to my hon. friend the Member for East Northants on the 17th March last, copies of which I am sending to him.