HC Deb 16 February 1939 vol 343 cc1886-7
35. Commander Sir Archibald Southby

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education, whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mrs. Ethel Vallins of Ashtead, who applied to the Surrey County Council Education Committee asking that her daughter, aged five, should be permitted to attend the Ashtead elementary school situated within five minutes safe walk from her home, but whose request has been refused, with the result that here little girl will have to attend the school in Barnett Wood Lane which is 30 minutes uphill walk from her home and to reach which, she will have to cross the main Epsom-Leatherhead road; whether he is further aware that the child's father being ill in hospital and not likely to recover and that the mother has therefore to attend to his business, this decision by the Surrey educational authority would involve the child being accompanied by her grandmother, aged 68, who would therefore have to undertake a walk of at least five miles each day; whether, in view of all these circumstances, he will take the necessary steps to enable the child to attend the school close to her home?

Mr. Lindsay

I have made immediate inquiries, but there are certain points on which I need fuller information. I will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as possible.

Sir A. Southby

Is my hon. Friend aware that this is not the only case in the district where children have to attend a school at some distance from their homes when there is a school available close to their homes; and that there is considerable dissatisfaction among residents in Ashtead at this state of affairs?

Mr. Lindsay

Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will tell me about it, but the two points in question are quite specific—whether there is accommodation at the nearer school and whether there is a large number of children who wish to go to it. Where there is a great deal of new

Grant-aided Secondary Schools in the Administrative County of Lancashire (i.e. excluding county Boroughs).
Number of Full-time pupils. Number of Fee-paying pupils.
1st October, 1930. 1st October, 1938. 1st October, 1930. 1st October, 1938.
Full Fees. Partial Fees. Total.
14,246 18,336 7,709 9,524 833 10,357