§ 44. Mr. Edeasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what conversations His Majesty's inspector of schools has had with the Reigate Education Committee about the scheme for the sale by the Reigate Town Council of a council school to the church authorities subject to the town council making a grant of 75 per cent. to the purchasers; and by what statutory authority this local education authority is selling a council school not surplus to requirements?
Mr. LindsayRepresentatives of the Reigate education authority discussed the general question of the reorganisation of the Reigate public elementary schools with His Majesty's inspector, who found that the authority were considering the possibility of selling the premises of the Cromwell Road council school to the church authorities. His Majesty's inspector made it clear that he could not express any opinion upon the legal aspects of this matter. Before the authority could effect such a sale in the manner indicated in the question, they would have to satisfy the Board on various points mentioned in Section 17 (4) of the Education Act, 1921, and in Section 8 (4) of the Education Act, 1936. The Board have not yet received any proposal for such a sale from the authority. If and when such a proposal is received, it will be for the Board to consider it in relation to the facts of the particular 563 case. Pending the receipt of the facts it would be premature for me to make any further comment.