22. Mr. YOUNGasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware that since the Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys, Barnet, has been removed one mile from the centre of the town the lunch interval has been shortened from one and a-half hours for senior and two hours for junior scholars, to one hour for seniors and one and three-quarter hours for junior scholars; that a good proportion of the scholars are scholarship boys whose parents cannot afford the high charges for lunch provided by the school autho- 10 rities; that 297 parents and local residents have been refused an opportunity of stating their case before the board of governors of the school and the Herts Education Authority; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Ramsbotham)My Noble Friend is aware that there has been some controversy in regard to the hours of attendance at the Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys, Barnet. The matter is one for the discretion of the governors and the local education authority, and my Noble Friend understands that in April, 1933, the authority decided, after investigation, that the mid-day interval, which had then been extended by 10 minutes beyond the times stated in the hon. Member's question, was adequate having regard to all the circumstances of the case. My Noble Friend is not aware that there has since been any substantial change in the position, and does not consider that the matter is one in which he can usefully intervene.