§ DR. MACNAMARAI beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether it will be competent in the new class of state-aided and non-rate-aided schools contemplated under the amended form of Clause 4 of the Education Bill for the managers to apply a religious test to the teachers in such schools upon appointment.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe appointment of the teachers in the schools referred to in Question, which I hope will be but few in number, will not be in the hands of the local education authorities, as the schools will in no way be maintained by those authorities. Therefore the conditions in respect of the appointment of teachers which are laid down in the Education Bill as applicable to schools 1425 maintained by local authorities will not apply.
§ DR. MACNAMARAasked whether the right hon. Gentleman contemplated the imposition of a religious test in such cases.
§ MR. BIRRELLI am afraid I cannot exercise any control over that matter.