Major STANLEYasked the President of the Board of Education if he can give any estimate of the cost to be met by managers of non-provided schools in Lancashire in order to comply with directions as to structural alterations contained in circular letter 10/4334 A, dated 1st March, 1910; and whether a few copies of the circular and schedules attached thereto can be placed in the Vote Office for the use of Members?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI think if the hon. Member will study the letter he will find that it does not give any directions as to structural alterations. The letter is intended rather to give to the local education authority and the managers a comprehensive survey of the needs of their schools. Until the matter has been fully discussed it is not possible to estimate the cost of the alterations required to bring the school premises up to a satisfactory standard. I shall be glad to furnish copies of the letter and schedules for the use of Members.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEIs not the right hon. Gentleman attempting by administrative means what four successive Education Bills have failed to do?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, Sir. The hon. Member is absolutely wrong in making that statement. My sole consideration has been to see that the accommodation in these schools is brought up to a proper standard of fitness for the children.
§ Mr. LANE-FOXHas a similar circular been issued to other counties?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANasked for notice of this last question.
Major STANLEYasked whether circulars similar to those recently forwarded to the county education authority of Lancashire have been issued in other counties; and, if so, in which?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANA similar communication has been addressed to the local education authority of the administrative county of Huntingdon, and it is proposed to follow the same course at an early date in the case of several other counties. The hon. Member is, of course, aware that the action of the Board involves no new departure in the way of policy. The Board have for many years been endeavouring to obtain the improvement of school build- 1238 ings up to a reasonable standard of healthiness, convenience, and suitability, with varying degrees of success in different areas. The great majority of cases included in the first four schedules attached to the letter are long standing cases in which complaints have frequently been made. The only novelty in this letter is the procedure suggested. I may, perhaps, call special attention to paragraph 6 of the Board's letter, in which the reasons for dealing comprehensively with the schools of an area are explained. The Board have reason to hope that this procedure will be found to be businesslike and economical as well as convenient to all parties. It has in fact been intimated to me, on behalf of the authority of a large county, that the adoption of such a procedure for their area would be very convenient and useful to them. The Board's Annual Report, which will shortly be issued, deals with the matter at some length.
§ Lord BALCARRESWill these Minutes be placed in the Vote Office for the use of hon. Members?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have no objection to that.
§ Mr. BELLOCIs it within the memory of the right hon. Gentleman that the Catholic population in Lancashire, represented by the Catholic Bishop of Liverpool and by the Catholic Bishop of Salford, have made representations to him on this subject?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have had representations made to me from a Catholic association of Liverpool. Whether the prelates mentioned by the hon. Member were responsible for them I cannot say.
§ Mr. CLOUGHCan the right hon. Gentleman give any idea as to when he will issue the circular and schedules for the West Riding Local Education Authority?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, Sir, I cannot say; but individual cases have been brought to the notice of the West Riding authorities.