§ MR. BUTCHER (Cambridge University)To ask the President of the Board of Education to what fund the fees for registration paid by teachers under Section 4 (a) of the Board of Education Act, 1899, are placed; whether those fees will be refunded should Clause 25 of the Education Bill become law; and whether the Board have registered teachers under the above section since the introduction of the Bill.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) (1) Under the Order in Council the registration foes paid by teachers whose names are entered on the register are placed to the credit of the Teachers Registration Fund from which the expenses of the Teachers Registration Council are met. (2) The passing of Section 25 of the Education Bill would not in itself bring about the abolition of the existing register. It merely removes the obligation at present existing for the establishment and maintenance of a register of teachers. Should the existing register eventually be abolished, the registration fees paid by persons whose names are on it would be refunded to any such persons who applied for it, as I have already stated in Parliament in reply to similar Questions in April, in May, and again in July last. (3) It is not the duty of the Board of Education, but of the Teachers 723 Registration Council, to register teachers. Since 9th April last 915 names have been entered on the register. I understand that ever since the introduction of the Bill the attention of applicants for registration has been drawn by the Teachers Registration Council to the clause in the Education Bill which would remove the obligation to maintain a register of teachers.