§ LORD R. CECIL (Marylebone, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether he can say whether the Swansea local education authority have refused to pay the full salaries of the teachers in the non-provided schools; and if so, on what grounds; what was the date of his interview with the managers of those schools; what was the substance of his letter to the Swansea local education authority; when was it sent; whether he has received any reply; and, if so, what was the substance of such reply.
§ MR. McKENNAI understand that the local education authority have paid all the teachers' salaries on the scale which the authority has hitherto recognised, but not on the scale which the managers claim. I had an interview with the managers on 16th July, and on the same date wrote to the local education authority inviting the observations of the authority on the statements made by the 803 managers. This letter was acknowledged on 18th July with an intimidation that the holidays would prevent an immediate full reply, but that as prompt attention as possible would be given to it.
§ LORD R. CECILMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the scale paid by the managers is the same scale as obtained in the council schools, and is the scale insisted upon by the National Union of Teachers; also whether this dispute has not been going on for some two or three years; and whether he does not see his way to induce the local education authority to arrive at a settlement?
§ Mr. McKENNAI am most anxious to see a settlement attained. The dispute has been going on some considerable time, but not on the precise point now raised. I do not understand that any scale is required by the National Union of Teachers or exists in council schools. Every teacher is paid according to his own particular merits.
§ LORD R. CECILDoes the right hon.; Gentleman know that these teachers were called out by the National Union on the question of pay?
§ MR. McKENNAI have not received any information on that point.