asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that His Majesty's Inspectors of Schools have reported that certain elementary schools in receipt of grant have no proper facilities for drying the clothes and boots of children who arrive at school wet, and that the children in rural schools have, in consequence, to return home after school hours in clothing still wet; and whether the absence of such facilities for drying clothes and boots has been made the subject of advice to local authorities and to managers of provided schools or of warnings that the continuance of such deficiences will entail loss of grant?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a Circular dealing with this subject, which I issued in March, 1925. I think everyone concerned is alive to the importance of facilities for drying clothes and boots where children come from a distance. The point always receives special attention in connection with proposals for reorganising rural schools.

Is the Noble Lord aware that hundreds of schools in the country are without drying facilities, and that children during the recent severe weather have had to remain wet during school hours, and return home wet?

Can the Noble Lord increase the grants for conveyance of children who have to travel long distances to and from school?

I have never been asked by any local education authority to increase grants for conveyance. The custom of conveyance has been largely extended during the last few years. My reply to the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring (Mr. Richardson) is that I have already stated in my answer the steps that I am taking.