HC Deb 07 July 1927 vol 208 cc1416-7
8 and 10. Mr. HARRIS

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) how many plans for new or reorganised schools approved in each of the last two educational years have provided for the traditional basis of boys, girls and infants, or mixed and infants; and how many have provided for schools organised with departments for junior children and senior children, respectively;

(2) whether amending Regulation No. 1 of 1925 for the building of public elementary schools is now in operation; and whether the suggestions as to the organisation of public elementary schools, contained in Circular 1350 (issued in January, 1925), are now incorporated in the Building Regulations?

Lord E. PERCY

I could not, without the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of time and labour, supply the hon. Member with information which would reliably indicate the extent to which proposals for new schools or for the reorganisation of existing schools are based on the principles outlined in Circular 1350, but I can assure him that full regard is paid to these principles in the consideration of individual proposals. As regards the Building Regulations, I would refer him to paragraph 5 (d) of Circular 1375, a copy of which I am sending him.

Mr. HARRIS

I do not want to trouble the right hon. Gentleman to give figures, but can he give some indication as to whether there has been a large number of instances where this Regulation has been carried out? Has it been on a large scale?

Lord E. PERCY

All I can say, is that I think the tendency to organise schools as senior and junior is steadily growing throughout the country. That is all I can say.