§ Mr. NEWTON (for Mr. Newman)asked the President of the Board of Education whether the Southend Town Council have recently submitted to the Board of Education a scheme for the education committee for the borough, containing a provision that no clergy or ministers of any denomination shall be eligible to serve as non-council members of the committee; whether he is aware that there are in Southend, besides five council schools, three Church of England schools, and one Roman Catholic school; whether he is aware that a petition has been presented against the proposed exclusion of ministers from the committee; and whether, under these circumstances and in view of Section 17 of the Education Act, 1902, he will undertake to refuse the approval of the Board to the provision in question?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Runciman)The answer to the first, second, and third parts of the question is in the affirmative. Objections to the scheme are at present under consideration, and I am not prepared to anticipate my decision on them by any statement at present.