§ Mr. CLARKEasked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that a number of children, who were formerly educated under the Midlothian Education Authority and who had only a distance of half-a-mile to travel to school, are now, owing to a re-arrangement of the city boundaries included under the Edinburgh Education Authority, and are now asked to travel 2½ miles to another school without getting home to dinner; is he aware that the Sheriff refused to convict the parents for not allowing the children to attend the latter school, owing to their age ranging from six years upwards; and, if so, will he take steps to prevent this hardship being imposed upon the children?
Mr. ADAMSONThe Department were informed some time ago of the general difficulty that had arisen, but they understood that, through the intervention of450W His Majesty's Inspector, temporary arrangements had been made which would obviate individual hardship, pending a satisfactory adjustment between the education authorities concerned. The case to which my hon. Friend refers appears to be a new one. I am having immediate inquiry made, and will let him know the result.