HL Deb 03 March 1914 vol 15 cc361-2
LORD SHEFFIELD

My Lords, I beg to put to my noble friend Lord Beauchamp the Question standing in my name—viz.: To ask whether the attention of His Majesty's Government has been called to the answer given by Mr. Pease in the House of Commons, on April 3, 1913, as to school provision and over-crowding at Warrington— That there would shortly be opened two schools of 1,260 and 420 places each, and that in addition the Board had proposals before them which would add 4,000 places to the school accommodation of Warrington. Whether it is the case that by the Return of Schools up to July 31, 1913, there have been closed in Warrington, since July, 1912—

Christ Church, Church of England B. 181 Total 664 places.
Sankey Bridges, Infants 212
Warrington Trinity, Church of England 271
What is the stage of progress of the 4,000 places proposed to the Board of Education; whether Mr. Pease is aware that there are still seven schools and fifteen departments in Warrington where the yearly average attendance exceeds the accommodation; and what steps the Board of Education are taking to prevent this over-crowding and to hasten the provision of the 4,000 places mentioned by Mr. Pease nearly a year ago.

THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (EARL BEAUCHAMP)

My Lords, with regard to the first part of the noble Lord's Question, the school for 1,260 children was opened on August 19, 1912, and that for 420 on March.31, 1913. With regard to the places which have still to be provided, the local education authority have accepted tenders for one school of 1,260 and are taking steps to obtain plans for another of the same size. In a third case where 840 places are to be provided, plans for one department of 392 have recently been before the Board. In a fourth case the authority have stated that they will proceed with the provision of 420 more places as soon as the tenders for the school first mentioned have been accepted. The latest returns in the possession of the Board show that in thirteen departments in six schools the average attendance during the school year 1912–13 exceeded the recognised accommodation. The Board therefore made deductions amounting to £50 from grants in respect of four of these schools and in the two other cases gave a warning to the authority. The Board are pressing the authority to expedite the provision of the new schools which I have mentioned.