School-Leaving Age (Accommodation)
38.
asked the President of the Board of Education if he has received any communications from the Association of Education Committees stating that certain education authorities find it impossible to find the additional accommodation necessary by 1st April, 1931, if the school age is raised on that date; and what action he proposes to take in such cases?
The Association have not sent me any such communication, and in any case, as I have already informed the hon. Member, the fact that a few authorities may not have completed their arrangements in time does not appear to me to be a sufficient reason for postponing the date proposed for the raising of the school-leaving age.
Would not the best remedy be to pass this Bill into an Act of Parliament, which would remove all excuse for avoiding those responsibilities?
42.
asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received from the Haxey Parish Council a resolution protesting against the proposed raising of the school age; and whether he has received any other similar resolutions from parish councils in rural areas?
The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative.
Is it not true that there is a growing dissatisfaction in the rural areas about the raising of the school age?
I receive about 30 resolutions in favour to one against.
Is it not the case that under the present regime it is extremely improbable that the school age will be raised and that this, like other things, will not be done?
61.
asked the President of the Board of Education if there are any local authorities that are not making the necessary preparations in anticipation of the raising of the school age in 1931; if so, how many; and which are the principal authorities that are failing in this respect?
Two authorities, Wolverhampton and the Isle of Ely, have informed me that they do not propose to proceed with their preparations for the raising of the school leaving age until the Education (School Attendance) Bill becomes law, and I have reason to think that the failure of some other authorities to submit proposals may be due to the same reason.
School Attendance Bill (Juvenile Employment)
39.
asked the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been drawn to a Report of the London School Attendance Sub-Committee in which they point out that the Education (School Attendance) Bill will allow children between 14 and 15 years of age to be employed outside school hours, as the Education Act, 1921, definitely limits the age to which by-laws regulating the employment of children may be made to apply to 14 years; and what action, if any, does he propose to take?
I have seen the report in question. I may, however, point out that the restrictions on the employment of children contained in Sections 94 and 95 of the Education Act, 1921, will apply to children between the ages of 14 and 15 when the school age is raised.
Does the President of the Board of Education consider that the members of the London School Attendance Sub-Committee are wrong in their conclusion?
There is no reason, if the hon. Member is keen about it, why he should not raise that matter on the Bill.
Are we to understand that, as usual, the right hon. Gentleman is doing nothing in this matter?
Staffing (Cost)
40.
asked the President of the Board of Education the estimated cost of teachers per child for elementary education in 1930 and how this compares with that for 1913?
The cost of teachers' salaries for elementary education, in England and Wales, is estimated at £8 12s. 2d. per child for 1930, as compared with £3 1s. in 1913.
Elementary Education (Cost)
41.
asked the President of the Board of Education the estimated cost per pupil for elementary education in 1930 as compared with 1913?
The cost of elementary education in England and Wales is estimated at £13 0s. 6d. per pupil for 1930, as compared with £4 15s. 2d. for 1913.
Teachers' Salaries, Lindsey
43.
asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received from the Lindsey County Council any representations regarding the present cost of teachers' salaries; and, if so, what action he preposes to take?
I have received the representations referred to. Teachers' salary scales are in the first instance a matter for the Burnham Committee, and I have accordingly suggested to the authority that any representations that they wish to make should be addressed to the County Councils Association, which is one of the associations represented on that committee.
Regional Survey Maps
44.
asked the President of the Board of Education if he will recommend to local authorities the preparation in schools of regional survey maps similar to the land utilisation map of the County of Northampton, prepared in the schools of that county and recently published?
I am aware that valuable work on these lines has been carried out in some areas, but I should prefer to leave full discretion in the matter to the individual authorities, who are already alive to the importance of encouraging in the rural schools the study of local history and conditions.
Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that a scheme for a complete map, covering the entire county, has been planned by the Geographical Association, which would be materially helped by the assistance of the Board of Education?
I will note that fact.
Teaching Of Hygiene
60.
asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Chief Medical Officer of the Board has asked the school medical officers throughout the country to submit to him a Report upon the teaching of hygiene in public elementary schools; and will he give directions that in future the local education authority and not its officers shall be requested to furnish such Reports?
There has been some misunderstanding in regard to the Circular referred to. It has, however, been made clear by a subsequent communication to the school medical officers that the inquiry was concerned with the medical effect of the teaching of hygiene in the schools. It has been a practice of many years' standing for the Chief Medical Officer to communicate directly with his colleagues in the school medical service in regard to questions on which their professional opinion is desired.
State Scholarships
62, 63 and 64.
asked the President of the Board of Education (1) in how many cases in each of the last three years persons taking up State scholarships were also awarded a college or university scholarship tenable at the place where they are holding their State scholarship;
(2) in how many cases in each of the last three years persons taking up State scholarships also received financial assistance from a local education authority towards the expenses of their course; and how many such persons also had a college or university scholarship; (3) in how many cases in each of the last three years persons awarded State scholarships have declined them; and in how many such cases in each year were the scholarships declined because of the students' inability to bear the remainder of the cost of the desired university course?I shall be glad to send my hon. Friend the information for which he asks as soon as it is available.
Transport Of Children
65.
asked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that rural areas having to provide transport for school children suffer a disadvantage when compared with urban areas which have no transport to provide; that the fact that in these rural areas the transport service will rank for grant in the usual way still means an increased expenditure for these areas and thus places them in a less advantageous position than the urban areas; and will he see that the whole cost of such transport is defrayed by the State?
I am not at present satisfied that the percentage rate of grant in respect of this expenditure should be increased.
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these rural areas are very concerned about the additional expense which will be thrown upon them, and think that they have been unfairly treated as compared with urban areas?
I am considering this question, and representations have been made to me on the subject.