§ MR. FREDERICK WILSON () Norfolk, MidI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if, under Schedule 2 (15 and 16), of the Education Bill teachers in board schools will become officers of the Council, while teachers in voluntary schools will not be placed on the same footing or enjoy the same advantages.
§ DR. MACNAMARA () Camberwell, N.May I at the same time ask whether if, as the result of the passing of the Bill, the office of a voluntary school teacher be abolished or his position be in any way worsened, such teacher will be eligible for the compensation to existing officers provided for under Clause 20 of the second schedule of the Bill.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURUnder Section 35 of the Elementary Education Act, 1870, School Board teachers are technically officers of the School Board, and will therefore become officers of the local education authority. It is this fact that brings School Board teachers within the ordinary provisions as to compensation on abolition of office. I do not imagine that, as a matter of fact, many cases of abolition of office will arise. Voluntary school teachers, it being observed, are underthe present system appointed by the managers of the school; they will continue to be so appointed. There is no change of employment, though there is a change of masters, and they will remain employees of the managers, subject to the powers of the local education authority underthe Bill. To place these voluntary school teachers on the same footing as School Board teachers, to make them Technically officers, would of course be inconsistent with the scheme of the Bill. I do not see how the error has arisen which assumes that the provisions of the Bill are unfavourable to voluntary school teachers. On the contrary, there is no doubt whatever that voluntary school teachers are the very class who will most benefit by the passing of the measure. The hon. Gentleman asks me whether, if this Bill has some indirect effect on the position of some voluntary school teacher, that school teacher will obtain compensation. No, Sir; nor will the Board School teacher under like circumstances. I do not think it possible to consider indirect and collateral results. All that can be said is that on the whole, and probably in every case, the indirect result is enormously to the advantage of the voluntary school teacher.
§ DR. MACNAMARAThe point is this: that in the case of the School Board teacher whose office is abolished or whose position is worsened he is to 240 have compensation. I want to know whether, if the office of the voluntary school teacher is abolished or his position worsened in any way directly, he will be eligible for compensation.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have not the text of the Act with me, and I must therefore ask the hon. Gentleman to put the Question on the Paper.