§ MR. SLOANTo ask the Postmaster-General if he can state why male learners at Belfast have been informed that they can no longer be relieved from school attendance after they have earned a full proficiency certificate; and whether, in view of the fact that this alteration of the rule involves their giving a four hours per day attendance gratuitously, he will cause an inquiry to be held into this matter.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) As I explained to the hon. Member very fully in my letter of the 30th November last, the instructions which had been issued giving the postmaster authority to excuse the learners at Belfast from further school attendance as soon as they were certified to be fully qualified were subsequently modified to the extent that the postmaster was authorised to use his own discretion in the interests of the learners and of the service as regards requiring a continuance of school attendance. It was found that regular daily practice is necessary to enable qualified learners to maintain their qualifications, and it is very undesirable, therefore, to excuse the fully qualified learners from further school attendance.