§ MR. AILWYN FELLOWES (Hunts, Ramsey)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether, in dealing with the age limit of exemption in elementary schools in agricultural districts, he will consider the advisability of making provision for retaining the scholars who have, not passed at 11 years of age as half-timers up to 14 years, and so give them some chance of agricultural employment early in life, and also retain them in their own districts
§ MR. ACLANDI understand the hon. Member to suggest that the Department should make it possible for all children to attend school half time only after 11 years of age, whether they have passed the standard of exemption fixed by the live-laws in force in the district or not. This would be contrary to the Education Acts, and I am not prepared to initiate legislation in order to make it possible. Children between 13 and 14 years of age are now exempt from the legal obligation to attend school if they have obtained a certificate of previous due attendance, though they may not have passed in any standard.