§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the President of the Board of Education whether he proposed to reverse a scheme of the Charity Commission of 1862, under which one-third of Lewis Lloyd's charity was made applicable to the maintenance of the Towyn Church School, and to submit instead a scheme depriving that school of this benefit at a time when the Government grant was being withheld, although the parents of over sixty children attending the school desired its maintenance; and, if so, what opportunity would be given to the House of Commons for discussing the matter?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANA scheme has been submitted to the Board under the Welsh Intermediate Education Act, 1889, by the Joint Education Committee for the future administration of Lewis Lloyd's charity. The scheme was published on 24th November, 1909. On consideration of objections a change was made in the draft scheme slightly changing the area of benefit, and the scheme was republished, as amended, on the 18th January last. The period of publication will expire on the 18th of this month. In the meantime, the Board are open to receive and consider any objections or suggestions relating to the draft scheme. With regard to the last part of the question, the usual methods of procedure under the Endowed Schools Acts, of which the Welsh Intermediate Education Act is one, are, as usual, open to objectors to the scheme, with the necessary locus standi.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked when the sanction of the Board was given to the enlargement of Towyn provided school; and when was that enlargement completed, and at what cost to the taxpayer and ratepayer respectively?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANWith regard to the first part of the question, the Board formally declared the enlargement to be necessary on the 30th July, 1910. They had, however, for some time previously, been urging the authority to provide additions to the school premises with a view to the improvement of the organisation so as to enable the school to be used as a practising school for intending teachers. In this connection I may refer the hon. Member to information which I gave him in this House on the 13th July last. With regard to the second part of the question, I understand that the enlargements may be expected to be complete in the course of 1216 a few weeks. With regard to the incidence of the cost, I must refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for the Oswestry Division of Shropshire on the 18th July last.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANasked the President of the Board of Education what had been the numbers on the rolls and the average attendance, respectively, at the Towyn Church School since July, 1910; and whether he proposed to restore it to the Grant list, in view of the fact that so large a number of parents desired to use the school?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI was informed last month that there were seventy-five children on the books of this school. The Board were informed by the managers that the average attendance for the quarter ended 29th October, 1910, was 57.3. With reference to the second part of the question, after having regard to the considerations set out in Section 9 of the Education Act, 1902, I have come to the conclusion that the school cannot be considered necessary, and have decided accordingly.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in 1907–8, £100,000 was appropriated to make grants for the building of provided schools where the parents of thirty children desired it, without regard to existing accommodation, in areas where only non-provided schools existed; and how much of that sum had been expended in Wales?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe sum of £100,000 was voted for the Financial Year 1907–8 to provide Building Grants for Public Elementary Schools. The grants were payable under regulations which provided, inter alia, that such grants would be payable only to local education authorities, and that the Board must be satisfied that the parents of not less than thirty children of school age desired accommodation in a public elementary school provided by the local education authority, and that the only existing public school accommodation of a permanent character available for those children was in schools not so provided. It was further declared that in no case would a Building Grant be payable in respect of school places which were needed to make good a numerical deficiency of public elementary school accommodation, and which the local education authority would, therefore (in the absence of other proposals for supplying 1217 the deficiency), be obliged in any event to provide. Sums of varying amount were taken for the same purpose in subsequent years. The total grant which has been paid under these regulations to Welsh Local Education Authorities is £32,720 16s. 6d.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANAre we to consider that it is the policy of the Board of Education if the parents of thirty Nonconformist scholars desire an undenominational school that the rates and taxes shall be used to provide it, but that if the parents of seventy-five Church of England children at their own expense maintain a school they are to have no grant whatever?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo; that would not be a correct statement of the Board's policy.
§ Lord HUGH CECILWill the right hon. Gentleman explain what is the Board's policy?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes; whenever the occasion arises.
§ Lord HUGH CECILDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that the occasion arises when the Board displays sectarian bigotry?