Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1948

7 Amendments as to modifying the requirement of conformity to prescribed standards as to premises of schools

(1) For the proviso to subsection (2) of section ten of the principal Act (which empowers the Minister to give such a direction as is therein mentioned where he is satisfied that it would be unreasonable in the case of any particular school to require conformity in any particular respect with the requirements of the regulations as to the prescribed standards as to the premises of schools), the following proviso shall be substituted, that is to say—

“Provided that, if the Minister is satisfied with respect to any school—

(a) that having regard to the nature of the existing site or to any existing buildings thereon or to other special circumstances affecting the school premises it would be unreasonable to require conformity with a requirement of the regulations as to any matter, or

(b) where the school is to have an additional or new site that, having regard to shortage of suitable sites it would be unreasonable to require conformity with a requirement of the regulations relating to sites, or

(c) where the school is to have additional buildings or is to be transferred to a new site, and existing buildings not theretofore part of the school premises, or temporary buildings, are to be used for that purpose, that having regard to shortage of labour or materials it would be unreasonable to require conformity with a requirement of the regulations relating to buildings,

he may give a direction that, notwithstanding that that requirement is not satisfied, the school premises shall, whilst the direction remains in force, be deemed to conform to the prescribed standards as respects matters with which the direction deals if such conditions, if any, as may be specified in the direction as respects those matters are observed.”

(2) Where it is proposed to establish a new school to be maintained by a local education authority, if the Minister is satisfied, on the submission to him of the specifications and plans of the school premises, either—

(a) with respect to the site of the school, as to the matters mentioned in paragraph (b) set out in the preceding subsection, or

(b) with respect to buildings where the school is to be established in premises comprising existing buildings or temporary buildings, as to the matters mentioned in paragraph (c) set out in the preceding subsection,

he may (notwithstanding the provisions of section thirteen of the principal Act as to conformity to the prescribed standards) approve the specifications and plans, and may undertake to give a direction as to the school under the proviso to subsection (2) of section ten of the principal Act on the school's being established.

(3) This section shall be deemed to have had effect since the commencement of Part II of the principal Act.