§ LORD R. CECILI beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the action of the Merionethshire local education authority in withholding from the teachers in the voluntary schools their salaries till after the holidays, though the teachers in the council schools are paid before the holidays; and what steps he proposes to take in order to bring to an end a state of things which, by destroying harmony of administration, necessarily militates against the efficiency of the non-provided schools.
§ MR. McKENNAYes, Sir, the noble Lord himself has been good enough to call my attention to this matter. I deeply regret that any teachers should be subjected to hardship owing to the anomalous conditions imposed by the Act of 1902, and I am communicating with the local education authority on the subject.
§ LORD R. CECILMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that the teachers in the voluntary schools in the county have not received their salaries for the quarter ended 30th June; that the schools are now closed for the holidays, and the teachers are not able to take advantage of the holidays owing to their salaries not having been paid; and whether this is part of what is known as the Welsh revolt, a policy of petty persecution, inaugurated by the President of the Board of Trade?
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe last Question of the noble Lord would not, I think, have passed the examiners at the Table.
§ MR. YOXALL (Nottingham, W.)Will the right hon. Gentleman urge the local authority to pay the salaries at the earliest possible date?
§ MR. McKENNAThe Act of 1902 is somewhat obscure as to the powers of the Board of Education and the local education authority in relation to certain matters, and I am not quite certain what the powers are in this respect. With regard to the Question of the noble Lord, I have nothing further to add.
§ LORD R. CECILMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not the 960 duty of the local education authority to secure the due efficiency of the schools, and whether it is possible that the due efficiency of schools can be secured so long as teachers are treated in this way?
§ MR. McKENNAYes, Sir It is part of the duty of the local education authority to maintain the efficiency of a school; but what is efficiency and how far the interpretation of that word by my predecessor affects the present state of things I cannot say.
§ MR. LYTTELTON (St. George's, Hanover Square)Are we to understand that these voluntary school teachers were not paid their salaries due on 30th June, that in consequence many were not able to take their holidays, and that the Board of Education declares its inability to find any remedy for such a state of things?
§ MR. McKENNANo, Sir, I have not said that. The right hon. Gentleman is, perhaps, unaware that the teachers are primarily the servants of the managers, and are at perfect liberty to recover their salaries from the managers and can sue the managers for their salaries. There is no doubt that the managers could recover the amount they would have to pay from the local education authority. There is the remedy, and that remedy can be taken by the teachers themselves.
§ MR. LYTTELTONAre we to understand that the right hon. Gentleman says that the Board of Education has no duty in the matter, and that the teachers are to be left in the impossible situation of suing the managers?
§ MR. McKENNAI have already stated that the Act of 1902 contains many anomalous provisions. Amongst these is the extraordinary one that the local education authority is to pay the teachers, but not to appoint them. The responsibility for the payment of the teachers rests upon the managers. The local education authority has ultimately to pay, but the teachers have to look immediately, not to the local education authority, but to the managers.
§ MR. LYTTELTONThe right hon. Gentleman admits that under the Act the local education authority has the obligation to pay the teachers. It is admitted 961 also that there is default in these payments. Does the right hon. Gentleman say that he is powerless to enforce that payment?
§ MR. McKENNAI do not say that. Ultimately the local managers can enforce payment; but it. is not quite clear at what stage they can do so. The teacher is primarily the servant of the managers,
§ MR. EVELYN CECIL (Aston Manor)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Board of Education will do their utmost to get these salaries paid at once?
§ MR. McKENNAI have already replied to the Question on the Paper, and I will repeat it if the hon. Gentleman wishes. I deeply regret that any teacher should be subjected to any hardship owing to the anomalous conditions imposed by the Act of 1902, and I am communicating with the local education authority on the subject.
§ MR. EVELYN CECILCan the right hon. Gentleman say Yes or No to the Question whether the Board will do their best to get these salaries paid at once?
§ MR. McKENNAI have already said that I have replied fully to the Question on the Paper.
§ MR. LYTTELTONI must press the right hon. Gentleman. He has said he is communicating with the local education authority. Does that communication contain an intimation from him that they should pay these teachers at once?
§ MR. McKENNAWhen the correspondence between myself and the local education authority is complete I shall be happy to make any communication on the subject.
§ LORD R. CECILI will call attention to the matter again on Monday.