§ 36. Mr. Carmichaelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the average size of the classes in the undermentioned schools, respectively, within the Glasgow area, elementary; junior secondary; senior secondary and fee-paying schools; and what action he intends to take to assist Glasgow Corporation to reduce overcrowding in the schools.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartFigures supplied by the education authority for February, 1952, show that the average size of classes in primary schools was 39.7, in junior secondary schools, 33.4, and in senior secondary and fee-paying schools, 31.2. My right hon. Friend is doing everything possible in the allocation of capital investment and controlled materials and by advice and exhortation to help the authority to proceed with their programme of school building as quickly as possible.
§ Mr. CarmichaelMight I ask the Minister a few points on the answer he has given? First of all he puts together the senior secondary schools and the fee-paying schools. They can quite easily be separated.
Secondly, does he recognise that the overcrowding in the elementary schools is being applied to children who come from already overcrowded homes and that opportunity of education is being denied them? Will he speed up the school building programme so that the youngsters in the working-class areas of Glasgow can have an opportunity of receiving some kind of education?
§ Mr. StewartWith regard to the first point, I have answered that strictly in accordance with the Question which has been put down. If the hon. Member will look, he will see that he has used semicolons in such a way that he has indicated that he wanted the senior secondary and fee-paying schools put together. If he requires other figures I shall be happy to give them to him at another time.
§ Mr. CarmichaelI did not put in the semi-colons.