§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether he has made himself acquainted with the official promises given to national teachers in 1900, that no teacher then in the service should suffer solely from the raising of the average attendance of pupils; whether the Commissioners of National Education are aware of the continued decline of population where the ranching system prevails, and the consequent impossibility of maintaining an average; whether they have received memorials from teachers showing the loss of assistants, of status, and of merited promotion owing to this cause, over which the teachers have no control; whether he is aware that teachers of good record are threatened with further diminution of income on this ground alone; and whether he can give any assurance that, in the case of teachers in the service prior to 1900, the promises of that year and the general practice in the Civil Service will be observed, and no reduction of the teachers' income made in respect of average alone?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe average attendance warranting payment of salaries to national teachers has not been raised since 1900. On the contrary, the average attendance in the case of assistant teachers has been lowered. As I have already informed the hon. Member the payment of teachers since 1900 has been according to an entirely different scale and different conditions from those obtaining prior to 1900, and the new system has improved the position of national teachers materially. No system of payments could be devised that would prevent occasional hardship in individual cases, owing to a falling off in the population of the country and a consequent 2406 decline in the average attendance at the schools.
§ Mr. GINNELLDoes the right hon. Gentleman give any assurance on the last clause of the question?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo.
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary whether, having regard to the date of Easter and to the absence from home of many teachers who will be attending the National Teachers' Congress at Belfast on 18th April, he will request the Commissioners of National Education to despatch the warrants for payment of teachers' salaries not later than 12th April, so that they can be cashed by the teachers before leaving for the congress?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that it is proposed to issue the money orders to the managers of schools on Thursday 13th instant in all regular cases where the school returns and claims for payment are furnished in due time. It is not practicable to have the orders for payment ready for issue at an earlier date.