§ 27. Mr. PALINGasked the President of the Board of Education the number of elementary schools in England and Wales where overcrowding existed during the last 12 months; how many applications were made by the various education authorities to build new schools; how many were granted; and what was the average number of scholars per class in the urban and borough areas?
Mr. WOODI will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the latest figures which 2734 I possess for each part of the question, but I regret that I am unable in all cases to give figures covering the last twelve months.
§ Mr. PALINGCan the right hon. Gentleman say how many extra teachers would be employed if the maximum. number of scholars per class were reduced to 44?
Mr. WOODI cannot tell offhand. If the hon. Member will put down a question, I will give him an answer.
§ The figures arc as follow:
§ In the year ending 31st March, 1921, there were 615 public elementary schools, the average attendance at which exceeded the recognised accommodation by more than 3 per cent. During the 12 months ending on 28th February, 1923, the number of public notices issued under Section 18 of the Education Act, 1921, in respect of proposals to provide new public elementary schools, was 60. Fifty-one of these were issued by local education authorities and nine by other persons or bodies. During the same 12 months sanction was given for the building of 47 new council schools and six voluntary schools; but it must not be assumed that these sanctions relate in all cases to the proposals referred to in the preceding paragraph. During the year ending 31st March, 1921, the average number of pupils per class in public elementary schools in urban and borough areas was 42.