§ 44. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the official list of schools, as on 12th July, 1912, published by his Department shows that in Birmingham there are seventy-four school departments, thirty-seven of which are in council schools, in which the average attendance is in excess of the recognised accommodation, and that over 26 per cent. of the scholars in Birmingham are in overcrowded schools; whether he has asked for or received any explanation from the Birmingham education authority as to why this state of affairs has been allowed to arise; and what steps are being taken to remedy it?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Joseph Pease)The reassessment of public elementary school accommodation on the ten and nine square feet basis caused special difficulty in Birmingham. The Board have been in constant correspondence with the authority, 550 and have now before them proposals involving the provision of about 6,000 additional school places.
§ 57. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the latest published figures show that in Warrington over 36 per cent. of the scholars are in overcrowded schools, and that the average attendance exceeds the accommodation, especially in all departments of Christ Church, Hamilton Street, Ladies' School of Industry, St. Barnabas Church of England schools, and St. Mary's Roman Catholic school; whether these schools have been warned; and whether any steps have been taken to provide further accommodation in the borough?
§ Mr. PEASEThe figures relate to school years ending in and before July, 1911. In August, 1912, a new council school for 1,260 scholars was opened, and another for 420 scholars will be opened almost immediately. In addition, the Board have before them proposals which will add 4,000 places to the public elementary school accommodation in Warrington. The five schools referred to in the question will all be either replaced or relieved by these proposals.
§ 58. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware of the overcrowded state of many public elementary schools and the present prevalence of epidemic diseases among scholars, resulting in the closing of schools and inconvenience and anxiety to parents; whether he has made inquiries to ascertain whether epidemic diseases are more frequent and severe in the overcrowded schools than those suitably occupied; and, if not, whether inquiries will be made into this matter?
§ Mr. PEASEI am afraid I cannot accept statements in such general terms as those contained in the first part of the question. The Board make continual inquiries into cases of epidemic disease, and in such inquiries naturally pay special attention to the nature of the accommodation in the schools concerned.
§ Mr. KINGHas the right hon. Gentleman any information which will connect the frequency of epidemics and their seriousness with overcrowded schools?
§ Mr. PEASEI have no Returns on the subject, but perhaps the hon. Gentleman will give me any information which he has, and I will inquire into it.
§ 59. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the official list of schools, as on 12th July, 1912, published by his Department shows that in Manchester there are twenty-five school departments in Church of England schools and thirteen school departments in Roman Catholic schools in which the average attendance is in excess of the recognised accommodation, and that over 20 per cent. of the scholars in Manchester are in overcrowded schools; whether he has drawn the attention of the Manchester local education authority to the need for more school places; and what steps are being taken to provide them?
§ Mr. PEASEThe figures referred to relate to school years ending not later than July, 1911. In the school years ending during the calendar year 1912 there were in Manchester fourteen departments in which the number of scholars in average attendance exceeded the accommodation by more than five. The Board have been in communication with the authority as to the necessity of preventing overcrowding, and in the majority of the departments referred to the overcrowding has now actually ceased, or proposals have been submitted to the Board with a view to providing sufficient accommodation.