§ MR. LYTTELTON (St. Georgo's Hanover Square)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether after the 1st April 1907, the managers of the Oxford Street voluntary school at Swansea paid the teachers in that school the difference between the lower salaries authorised by the local authority to be paid to them and the higher salaries recommended by his colleague and predecessor; and whether the local authority have refunded to the managers the amount of such difference.
§ MR. McKENNAThe right hon. Gentleman, if he were more familiar with the details of this tangled controversy, would be aware that the item of salaries was only one of the questions in dispute. Pending the settlement of the more important questions, this matter has been deferred, as the managers were aware, for on 5th November they wrote to the Board:—"The managers do not, of course, abandon their claim for the full amount they have paid the teachers, and reserve this matter to be dealt with in subsequent correspondence." I may say, however, that the Board are now communicating with the local education authority.
§ MR. LYTTELTONasked the right hon. Gentleman whether, as the information which he gave to the House appeared to be neither complete nor accurate, he would reconsider the question and take some steps to refund to the managers the money they had paid in respect of salaries of which his predecessor approved.
§ MR. McKENNAThe information on which the right hon. Gentleman bases his supplementary question is inaccurate, but the statement to the House is both full and accurate.
§ MR. LYTTELTONIs it the fact that local managers have paid out of their own pockets the difference between the salaries authorised by the local education authority and the salaries sanctioned by his predecessor? Is that the fact or not?
§ MR. McKENNAMy predecessor never sanctioned payment of any salaries at a higher rate.
§ MR. LYTTELTONI refer to the salaries, the withholding of which the right hon. Gentleman's predecessor declared to be "unjust to the teachers and gravely imperilling the efficiency of the school."
§ MR. McKENNAThe right hon. Gentleman is not familiar with this controversy. If he were, he would know that, with regard to the salary of any individual teacher, upon which alone the Board could adjudicate, no question has been brought before the Board. I must have a question on each individual salary brought before me before I can determine whether it is or is not sufficient. There is no general standard of salary throughout the country.
§ LORD ROBERT CECIL (Marylebone E.)asked if it was not the fact that in April last year the managers paid to the teachers the difference between the salaries they were to be paid and the salaries being paid to teachers in a similar position in the county schools; and, further, if the payment was made because the National Union of Teachers called out the teachers from the Oxford-street school because they were not receiving what they regarded as a sufficient and proper wage for the services they were rendering.
§ MR. McKENNAbelieved it to be the fact that in some cases the managers did pay higher salaries than they were refunded by the local education authority. But that was not the question. (A voice, "Yes, it is.") He was not aware what the reasons were, but he thought they 1423 were somewhat different from those stated.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs it in order to refer to speeches delivered in former debates and base a Question on them? I have often been called to order before.
§ [No Answer was returned.]