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Education

Volume 439: debated on Thursday 3 July 1947

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School Milk, Hawkesbury

14.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that no milk has been supplied to the schoolchildren attending the Hawkesbury Mixed School, No. 159, since Easter; and if he will take steps to ensure that arrangements are made for a regular supply of milk to the school without further delay.

Yes. Sir, I am informed that a new supply has been arranged, beginning on 1st July.

Independent Schools (Places)

15 and 16.

asked the Minister of Education (1) how many independent schools have offered local education authorities places for pupils in the schools under their control; what is the number of these places; and how many have been taken up;

(2) how many local education authorities have taken up places in independent schools for pupils in schools under their control; and how many have taken no action in this matter.

Of the 358 places offered by 103 recognised efficient secondary boarding schools to the Committee on Boarding Education for use in September next by local education authorities generally, 65 have so far been allocated in response to requests received by the Committee from 10 authorities. In addition, some local education authorities are taking up places under arrangements made directly with the schools.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the independent schools are co-operating very well in this matter, and can he explain why so small a proportion of the places offered have been taken up? Is it due to the tact that many local authorities cannot afford the expense, and, if so, will he go to their assistance?

I do not think that is the case. It is due, in the main, to the fact that the notices were not received by the local authorities in time to enable them to make the necessary arrangements.

Can it also be that some of the local authorities are not prepared to see their best pupils "creamed off" from the grammar schools, thereby lowering the system of public secondary education?

Neither is it our desire, in the operation of this scheme, that the best students should be "creamed off"

In view of the advantage to public schools by the addition of pupils from primary schools, will the right hon. Gentleman use all his influence with the local education authorities to see that these vacant places are taken up, so far as is possible?

Further Education And Training Scheme (Termination)

17.

asked the Minister of Education on what date the Further Education Training Scheme is due for termination; whether all persons serving or liable to serve before 1st January, 1949, will be eligible for grants; or on what grounds is a differentiation to be made between those called up in 1947 and those called up in 1948

As regards the first and second parts of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service in the OFFICIAL REPORT of 12th June. Having regard to the objects of the scheme, and the other forms of assistance which have recently been extended, it was not considered justifiable to continue the scheme under the present conditions of call-up. The 30th September was fixed in order to give reasonable notice and to suit, so far as possible, the convenience of students.

Will my right hon. Friend ensure that those men who are called up after September this year have some sort of priority when they return; and, further, is he aware that two-thirds of the students in this country are utterly dependent on their parents' income, even with the welcome advantages which have already been provided for entries to universities?

I could not go so far as to give a complete assurance to the hon. Gentleman's request in the first part of his supplementary question, but I would point out that at present, and for some time to come, 90 per cent. of the students who are accepted in the universities are ex-Service men, and I think that those ex-Service men in 1949 can rest assured that they will get a square deal.

Is my right hon. Friend, considering, on the termination of the present scheme, some other scheme which will give similar advantages to students of this type?

Some little time ago I introduced a scheme to supplement the places which were being provided by means of State scholarships.

Science Masters, Secondary Schools

18.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to remedy the admitted shortage of science masters in secondary schools.

As the hon. Member is aware, the science faculties at the universities are being expanded and I am confident that this will go far to meet the demand for teachers which has increased substantially in the last few years.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that at the moment the Oxford University Appointments Board has 250 vacancies for science teachers unfilled, and that the secretary reports that some headmasters are just going to give up science teaching? This goes to the very root of the training of scientists for the future of this country. Will he, therefore, give fresh consideration either to getting science teachers released from the Services—which is the only method, I believe—or increasing their salaries which are so different from those paid in industry?

The hon. Member knows from his previous experience that the salaries question is one which is at present before the Burnham Committee, and that the Minister cannot interfere. With regard to release from the Services, I should hesitate to take that action. I believe that the action that has been taken will lead to improvement in the numbers.

Out-Of-School Pursuits (Inquiry)

19.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has yet given any terms of reference to the Advisory Council and what they are.

In October, 1946, I agreed with the Central Advisory Council for England that they should investigate and report to me upon "The Educational needs of the Young Worker." At my request the Council are just about to undertake an inquiry covered by the following terms of reference:

"To consider and report on the natural interests and pursuits of school children out of school hours; the provision made for these outside their homes; the value of such provision and the desirability of further or different provision; and the extent to which school work and activities can and should be related to and develop these interests."

End Of War (Official Date)

20.

asked the Attorney-General when he anticipates it will be possible to make a definite announcement with regard to the official date for the end of the war; and whether, in view of the number of agreements which cannot be determined until this date is known, the decision will be expedited.

Whether this country is at war with any other country or not is, in each case, a question of mixed fact and law. If arbitrary dates for the end of the war are to be prescribed with the object of determining the intentions of parties to agreements legislation will be required. It appears from careful inquiries which have been made that there is no widespread demand for such legislation. The reason seems to be that agreements vary so considerably in their subject matter and circumstances that any attempt to prescribe an arbitrary date would in many cases obscure the real intentions of the parties, and obstruct the interpreta- tion of the agreement. In some cases parties may, for instance, have contemplated the cessation of actual hostilities. In others, the conclusion of a treaty of peace. I would remind my hon. Friend that for the purposes of certain tenancy agreements dates have already been prescribed under the Validation of War-Time Leases Act, 1944, but tenancy agreements are a limited class of contracts to which special considerations apply.

While thanking my right hon. and learned Friend for his reply, may I ask if he does not agree, with the large number of agreements which do exist in respect of which there is a conflict of opinion as to what the phrase "termination of the war" really means, that some definite date should be fixed, if need be, by legislation, so as to allow people to get on with such agreements as they have made in a practical form?

The view at which we arrived after careful consultation with a number of bodies concerned in matters of this kind was, that to fix an arbitrary date by legislation would probably cause more difficulty than may exist at present.

Is it not a fact that the Government of the United States of America did declare a definite date for the end of the war, and that that has worked all right over there?

I am afraid that that is a question of which I should require notice.