HC Deb 03 July 1911 vol 27 c942W
Captain FABER

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will state why the Surrey by-laws of education, on page 114 of the school managers' handbook, imply a definite limitation by stating that a parent shall cause a child to attend school unless there be one of three named excuses, whereas no such words appear in the Education Act itself, and in Chapter 75, Section 74, it is stated that any of the named reasons shall be a reasonable excuse; and if he will cause the Surrey by-laws to be altered so that parents may not be hampered by not knowing that in certain circumstances, as laid down by Mr. Justice Stephen, their children need not attend school?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I can accept no responsibility for the handbook referred to. I find no such statement in the by-laws approved by the Board of Education. I have no power to initiate an alteration of the by-laws which have been approved.