§ SIR GEORGE SCOTT ROBERTSON (Bradford, Central)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the class which provides officers for the Navy is less than one-twentieth part of the total population, and that those families which formerly supplied the engineer officers are now totally debarred from doing so because of their inability to pay the cost of the training and maintenance of their sons at Osborne and Dartmouth; and will he consider the advisability of reducing the charges made to the parents and guardians of naval cadets in order to put a stop to this state of affairs.
§ MR. McKENNAI am not aware of the exact proportion; and an examination of the parentage of the cadets now at Keyham, and also at the Osborne and Dartmouth colleges, shows that the second of my hon. friend's statements is far from correct. With regard to the cost to the parents of education at Osborne and Dartmouth, as I explained in a recent debate, when the early age of entry is taken into account, there is not a very great disparity between the charges which the parents in general, have to bear under the present and under former systems.
§ SIR GEORGE SCOTT ROBERTSONWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of reducing the charges?
§ MR. McKENNAI think it has been stated in the House that the amount of the charges made on the parents is not an Admiralty matter.
§ SIR GEORGE SCOTT ROBERTSONThen who is responsible?
§ MR. McKENNAIt is a matter for the whole Government, I take it.
§ MR. H. C. LEA (St. Pancras, E.)Will the First Lord, as representing what is supposed to be a democratic Government, initiate a system similar to that in the United States of America, so that once a boy gets in his parents should be freed from all charges?
§ MR. McKENNAMy hon. friend appears to have overlooked the fact that in the United States secondary education of all kinds is free. In this country it is not.