§ Mr. Bowen Wells (Hertford and Stevenage)I have the honour and privilege, Mr. Speaker, to present to you a petition:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland in Parliament Assembled. The Humble Petition of Parents and Staff of Shephalbury School, Stevenage, Sheweth That the Hertfordshire County Council proposed to close Shephalbury School, Stevenage under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944, and that this decision is strongly opposed by the local community since it is unjustified. Wherefore your Petitioners pray That Your Honourable House will by all possible means seek a reversal of the decision to close Shephalbury School. And your Petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray, &c.Two hundred and fifty people—parents, teachers and students—presented the petition to me and have begged me to bring it to your attention, Mr. Speaker, as they have built up a community school in Stevenage of which they are very proud. They are proud because they have put their own work into that school—building a swimming pool, and so on. They have provided an alternative type of secondary education which needs to be valued and treasured. They wish, therefore, to make certain that their views on the closure, which they think is unjustified, are properly considered by the whole Commons and the Ministers concerned.I beg leave, therefore, Mr. Speaker, to present the petition to you.
§ To lie upon the Table.