§ 59. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Education how many and which of the schools under the control 65W of his Department have swimming pools, indicating the dimensions; how many and which of such schools have no facilities for swimming; and what steps he has taken, is taking or plans to take, to provide swimming facilities in all such schools.
§ Sir D. EcclesI am sending the hon. and learned Member details of 15 swimming baths provided from public funds at maintained schools since the war, and of 12 other baths now under construction at such schools. In addition, many schools have swimming baths provided by friends, parents, and old scholars, often with assistance from the local education authority.
Local education authorities are well aware of the importance of teaching children to swim, and it is open to them to provide baths in new schools where this can be done without exceeding the limit of cost per place or falling below the minimum standards for other accommodation. But in many areas, the only practicable way of providing facilities for swimming is for the schools to make use of public baths; this is already the general practice where public baths are available.