§ 17. Sir J. D. REESasked the President of the Board of Education whether costly requirements as to size of classes and class-rooms, cubic contents of air, new buildings and equipments, and the like conditions, are being relaxed during the War in order to effect the necessary economies in expenditure?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Arthur Henderson)I may refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Newbury yesterday, and to the Board's Circular 903 of the 8th April last, a copy of which I am sending to him. On general grounds I am disposed to think that it is better that the erection of buildings should be postponed than that the standard of convenience, comfort, and suitability should be lowered during the War.
§ 19. Colonel PRYCE-JONESasked the President of the Board of Education whether it is intended to open the new county school at Berriew, in view of the fact that there is no lack of school accommodation in the district and that the opening of the school would involve a large increase in the cost of education?
§ Mr. HENDERSONThe necessity of a council school at Berriew was determined by the Board on the 18th July, 1913, after a public inquiry into all the circumstances of the case. The school has since been erected, and the arrangements in regard to the opening are a matter within the jurisdiction of the local education authority, and not of the Board of Education.
§ 20. Colonel PRYCE-JONESasked the President of the Board of Education if there is any intention to close the Church school at Cemmaes and, if so, on what grounds; and if, having regard to the feeling of the parents of children attending this school, he will refuse to sanction any proposal to close it?
§ Mr. HENDERSONThe case of this little school is at present under the consideration of the Board.
§ Mr. KINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the very great costliness of small schools, where often the individual cost per head is £6, £7, or £8, against £3 in large schools?
§ Mr. HENDERSONThe Board is aware of that, and those are the things we have to take into consideration.
§ Mr. HENDERSONWe are going to take each case on its merits.
§ Mr. LEIF JONESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that these schools are often situated in sparsely populated districts?
§ Mr. HENDERSONThat is one of the factors we could not lose sight of.
§ Sir H. CRAIKWill the right hon. Gentleman also consider the reasonable demands of the religious beliefs of the parents of the children attending those schools?