§ 94. Mr. Shurmerasked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the fact that a number of mothers in Birmingham and district go to the hop fields for two or three weeks in September when school holidays have finished and that many desire to take their children with them, he will advise the education authority concerned not to prosecute parents for the non-attendance of their children at school during that period.
§ Mr. HardmanMy right hon. Friend cannot condone breaches of the law of school attendance. The numbers of parents affected are too small to warrant a special adjustment of school holidays in Birmingham, but it is open to such parents to apply to the school authorities for leave of absence for their children to accompany them on their annual holiday for not more than two weeks in any educational year. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of Circular 218 to local education authorities dated 19th April in which this matter is dealt with.