§ Mr. WIGNALLasked the President of the Board of Education whether he will 1795W consider the desirability of calling the attention of local education authorities to the importance in preparing schemes for the organisation of continued education under the Education Act, 1918, of so arranging the hours of obligatory attendance under that Act that continuation classes may be held, as far as possible in the morning, and may in all cases terminate not later than 5.30 in the afternoon?
§ Mr. FISHERThe hon. Member will realise that the economical use of school buildings and teaching staffs will require their employment both morning and afternoon, and also that it would not be convenient for all young persons that the latter part of the day should be treated as not available for educational work. The limits of time prescribed by the Education Act, 1918, are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and I think that within those limits the local education authorities should be left to exercise their discretion in fixing the hours of the classes as far as possible to suit the convenience of all parties concerned.