HC Deb 14 March 1929 vol 226 cc1241-2
19. Mr. R. RICHARDSON

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that His Majesty's inspectors of schools have reported that sundry elementary schools in receipt of grant have no adequate supply of drinking water and on what dates such Reports were made; that the school medical service have reported that elementary schools in receipt of grant have an inadequate supply of drinking water or no supply at all, and on what dates such Reports were made; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

Lord E. PERCY

I am afraid that it would not be possible, without an unjustifiable amount of labour, to supply the dates of the Reports in which His Majesty's Inspectors have mentioned the absence of a supply of drinking-water in the schools. As regards the last part of the question, perhaps I may refer the hon. Member to a reply which I gave on the 6th of last month to the hon. Member for West Rhondda (Mr. John), of which I am sending him a copy.

Mr. RICHARDSON

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Sir George Newman reported in 1925 that 51 schools in Nottingham had no water supply at all, that a large number of these had an unsatisfactory supply, and that in Bedfordshire 52 schools had no water supply?

Lord E. PERCY

That may be so, but as I pointed out in my answer to the hon. Member for Rhondda, West (Mr. John), you cannot consider the supply of water of the school, apart from the supply of water to the village as a whole, and very often it is the village that has no water.