Mr. Creech Jonesasked the President of the Board of Education what is the total number of children on the registers in the elementary and secondary schools of Southampton and how many are at present evacuated; how many elementary and secondary schools have been occupied by the authorities and how many of these have now been released; and when he expects full-time education to be restored for all the children in the county borough?
§ Mr. RamsbothamThere are 15,526 children in the elementary schools in Southampton and 180 in the one secondary school which is open. There are 5,600 children evacuated under the Government scheme or privately remaining in reception areas. Nine elementary and four secondary schools, one of them partially, have been occupied by other services: three of these schools have now been released. I am satisfied that the authority are pressing on as rapidly as possible and that it will not be long before full-time education for all elementary school children except infants is attained. The question of further provision for secondary school pupils is under discussion with the authority.