§ Mr. RAMSDENasked the President of the Board of Education why the West Riding County Council have refused to recognise the Grace Ramsden endowed school in Elland, which has sixty-two scholars, with the result that it can get no help from the Government so far as certain Grants are concerned; and whether it can be made compulsory that the county council should recognise any secondary school, even if it gives definite religious instruction, so long as there is a proper conscience clause?
§ Mr. FISHERI am not aware of the circumstances to which the hon. Member refers. The headmaster of the school applied to the Board some months ago for information as to the conditions on which the school could obtain Grants from the Board, and was supplied with a copy of the Board's Regulations for secondary schools. The Board have not heard further from the school in the matter. The suggestion in the last part of the question ignores such important considerations as cost, efficiency, and necessity.