§ MR. HENRY HOBHOUSE (Somersetshire, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Education if his Board, in approving schemes for Education Committees, will see that each scheme makes provision for the inclusion of at least two women on the Committee.
*THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Sir WILLIAM ANSON,) Oxford UniversityThe Board of Education are advised that the Education Act only requires that a scheme should make provision for the inclusion of one woman on an Education Committee. The Board have not found any reluctance on the part of the County Councils to place women on the Education Committee, but in asking for the inclusion of more than one woman the wishes of the local authority and the needs of the area must in each case be considered.
§ MR. HENRY HOBHOUSECan the hon. Gentleman give me any information as to the number of authorities which have made such provision?
† See (4) Debates, cxvi., 1358672
*SIR WILLIAM ANSONI have the information as to thirty-nine counties. In three provision is made for one woman member, in twenty-seven for two, in six for three, in two for four, and in one for five.