§ Mr. Chapman6, 7 and 8. asked the Minister of Education (1) whether she has now received the 1,050 separate petition forms from parents of children attending Colmers Farm Schools, Rednal, Birmingham, praying that the obsolete air-raid shelters at the school, which are a danger and a nuisance, be demolished; what reply she is sending; and whether she will now authorise early demolition;
(2) her general policy regarding the demolition of school air-raid shelters which have become structurally dangerous;
(3) how many school air-raid shelters have been demolished in Birmingham; 36W how many remain; and when it is hoped to complete demolition of those which are derelict and dangerous.
§ Miss HorsbrughIn Birmingham, all the shelters have been removed from 13 school sites, 15 other school sites have been partly cleared, and a further 68 have shelters which are not considered by the local education authority to be either derelict or dangerous. I am prepared to approve any proposals submitted by an authority for the demolition of shelters which are structurally dangerous, insanitary, or an obstacle to approved building work. I have no evidence that these conditions apply to the shelters at Colmers Farm Schools: I understand that the authority proposes to see what can be done to improve the situation there.