§ 5. Mr. Yorkasked the Minister of Education whether he has considered the proposal of the West Riding County Council to concentrate six village schools in the district -North-West of Ripon into two central schools, one result of which will be that young children from three of these schools are to be transported away from their home environment to Ripon; and whether he will oppose this wholesale elimination of village schools as contrary to the spirit of the Education Act, 1944.
§ Mr. TomlinsonProposals to discontinue certain schools in the Ripon district are included in an instalment of the local education authority's development plan recently received in the Ministry, and will receive my careful consideration.
§ Mr. YorkDoes the Minister of Education realise the perturbation in the minds of the parents in these villages at the suggestion? Can he say whether this moving of young children of five to 11 from villages to central schools is the policy of his Department?
§ Mr. TomlinsonNot at this stage.