§ 23. Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the President of the Board of Education how many elementary schools, provided and non-provided, there are in the County of Durham which fall short of the Board's standard set for sanitary provisions?
§ Lord E. PERCYI assume that the hon. Member is referring to schools on the Black List. There are 26 provided and eight non-provided schools in Class A, and 37 provided and 38 non-provided schools in Class B.
§ 24. Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the President of the Board of Education the number of new schools and the number to be re-modelled, respectively, in the schedule submitted to him by the Durham County Local Education Authority for 1926 and 1927, or the latest date, and the number where the Board have given sanction to them to proceed with for the same period?
§ Lord E. PERCYAs stated in my reply to the hon. Member on 29th July last, the authority's proposals for 1926–27 included the provision of 14 new schools and the remodelling of 11 others; and the bulk of these proposals have been carried forward to 1927–28. The uncertainty as to the financial position of the county, owing to the coal stoppage, has hitherto prevented the Board from giving the same general approval of the authority's proposals for the first programme year as they have been able to give to most other authorities; but I have approved four new schools and the extension of two 1343 others, and I have informed the authority recently that I am prepared to approve their building proposals up to a stated sum, pending the outcome of the inquiry now proceeding into their resources and capital commitments on their various services.
§ Mr. RICHARDSONHas the Noble Lord given that approval for the procuring of sites for other schools?
§ Lord E. PERCYIn regard to this stated sum for which I gave them authority, I gave them complete freedom as to what they were to spend the money upon. I thought that that was the best thing to do.