CAPTAIN CRAIGI beg to ask the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the average salaries of principal men teachers in Scotland is £180 (with occupation of houses free of rent in 1,592 cases) as against £105 in Ireland; of principal women teachers in Scotland is £92 (with occupation of houses free of rent in 523 cases), as against £85 in Ireland; of assistant men teachers in Scotland £124, as against £74 in Ireland; of assistant women teachers in Scotland £77, as against £58 in Ireland; whether he can give any explanation of the differences of over fifty per cent. in payments for the same class of work; and what steps, if any, the Government intend to adopt to pay the national school teachers of Ireland a fair remuneration for their services.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (MR. RUNCIMAN, Dewsbury)I am not in a position to say whether the figures in the Question are accurate or not; but in any case they cannot afford a basis for a true comparison between the two countries. The proportion of principal teachers to the whole number of teachers is much larger in Ireland than in Scotland; and the average number of children in attendance for each principal teacher is more than four times as great in Scotland as in Ireland. I may add that the grant from the Exchequer per child in average attendance is considerably higher in Ireland than in Scotland. I am not able to suggest any increase in the provision now made.