§ 26 Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education (1) whether he is aware that at Oxenhope, Yorks, there is a provided school capable of accommodating all the children in the two departments of the council school as well as the children in the non-provided; whether, with a view to the economy of the rates, the concentration of our civic resources, and the maintaining a high standard of education, he will state whether it is the policy of the Board at this time to discourage and suppress unnecessary schools or to leave wasteful and overlapping arrangements exactly as 1923 they are; (2) whether he is aware of the difficulty experienced by many local education authorities to supply the ranks of teachers; whether, with a view to solving this problem and to the economy of the rates, he will issue a circular to local authorities pointing out how the closing of small redundant schools and the removal of children in scatterd districts by means of vehicles would result in concentration and economy of the rates; and (3) whether he is aware that there are two schools, one provided and one non-provided, at Gargrave, in the West Riding, that either of these schools is large enough to accommodate all the children now in both schools, and that the closing of one of them with the concentration of all the scholars in one building would result in an economy of £150 per annum to the ratepayers; and whether, in view of the need of public economy at this time, the Board will take any action in this and similar cases?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Herbert Lewis)The facts at Oxenhope and Gargrave appear to be as stated. I am aware of the difficulty in the supply of teachers, and have addressed a circular to local education authorities on the subject. They appear to be sufficiently alive to the economy of closing small schools where possible, but there is no power to close existing voluntary schools on the ground that they are unnecessary unless the managers consent or the average attendance is under thirty. Action on the lines suggested by the hon. Member would certainly give rise to controversy, which at the present time is very undesirable.
§ Mr. KINGWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the introduction of emergency legislation to close these small redundant schools temporarily for the period of the War?