§ Mr. J. GARDNERasked the President of the Board of Education whether he can give any information as to the number of local education authorities in England and Wales which allow school children to use their school recreation grounds after school hours and during holidays and the number of children affected; and give separate figures showing, at March, 1930, the number of play centres conducted, respectively, by local education authorities, by voluntary associations, and jointly, and the figures of average attendance in each category?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI am unable to state the number of local education authorities which make arrangements for allowing school children to use school playgrounds after school hours and during holidays. I assume that the latter part of my hon. Friend's question refers to organised evening play centres recognised by the Board under their Regulations and conducted, in most cases, in the premises of public elementary schools. During the year ending on 31st March, 1930, 173 such centres, with an average attendance of approximately 45,650, were conducted by local education authorities, and 129, with an average attendance of approximately 19,500, by voluntary bodies. Nearly all the centres conducted by voluntary bodies receive assistance in some form from the local education authority.