§ 67. Mr. DAYasked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the limited playing facilities for the children in the borough of Southwark; and will he consider suggesting to the authorities who control the schools in this borough that certain of the schoolrooms should be thrown open for the use of children especially for this purpose in bad weather?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Morgan Jones)The attention of my right hon. Friend has not been specially drawn to the limited playing facilities for children in Southwark. He understands that, in addition to such open spaces as are available, nearly all the playgrounds of the council elementary schools are kept open in the evenings during the summer months for children's play. While he would, of course, welcome any extension of the available facilities, he is afraid that the need for proper supervision would make it very difficult to arrange for the use of school buildings for the purposes of play, except where organised play centres are conducted, as is already done in a few schools.
§ Mr. DAYCan the hon. Member say whether the local borough council have made any application for school-rooms to be thrown open on wet days?
§ Mr. JONESThe first sentence of the reply is that the attention of my right hon. Friend has not been specially drawn to that matter.