46. Mr. Edmund Harveyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether, in spite of recent reductions in the number of classes of over 50, there are still over 120 classes of over 50 pupils in the area of the Leeds education authority; whether a similar position is to be found in the areas of other large local education authorities; and whether, in view of the existence of numbers of unemployed qualified teachers in the areas concerned, further efforts will be made by the Board to secure an improvement in this situation?
Mr. LindsayOn 31st March last there were 118 classes in the Leeds public elementary schools with over 50 children on the roll. The position in this area is, however, exceptional; these large classes were due not to lack of teachers, but to lack of teaching space, since owing to the movement of population in consequence of housing developments, it has not been found possible to keep abreast with the provision of the necessary school accom- 3291 modation. The board are constantly urging local education authorities to eliminate over-large classes and to prevent their recurrence, but the appointment of additional teachers would not in itself provide a remedy.
§ Mr. MacquistenCannot they have open-air schools, which are far healthier?