§ Sir A. Meyerasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to see that school playing fields should be opened in out-of-school hours, so as to keep children off the streets and out of danger.
§ Mr. M. StewartA recent joint circular from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and my Department emphasised the need for increased use of school playing fields out of school hours, I hope to see more of it in future and I am considering what can be done further in this direction. It is however for local education authorities and managers and governors of individual schools to decide whether playing fields should be open out of school hours. I believe that they are well aware of their responsibilities, but there are problems, both of supervision and of over-use.