§ Sir JOHN LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary what are the recommendations of the Commissioners of National Education with regard to the revision of standard numbers, and the estimated cost to the Treasury if such recommendations were agreed to; would the additional expenditure be covered by the saving effected under the head of salaries for teachers in the year 1911–12; and whether, pending an agreement between the Commissioners and the Treasury on the broad question of the revision of the present limits, he would recommend that the teachers who had been promoted should be paid the increase of salary to which they were entitled?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education have recommended that the total number of teachers who may be paid salary in the first division of the first grade be increased by 200, and the number in the second division of the first grade by 350, the numbers in the second grade being at the same time reduced by 800. It is estimated that the increased charge might ultimately reach a total of about £18,000 per annum. It is not possible at present to state whether a saving will be effected on the estimated expenditure for salaries of teachers for the financial year 1911–12. As I have already stated I am prepared to recommend to the Treasury an expansion of the standard 1808 numbers to meet the case of the forty-seven teachers who have been promoted without a corresponding increase of salary, provided that no further promotions are made save on the occurrence of vacancies, but the Commissioners have declined this offer.
§ Mr. JOHN WALSHasked the Chief Secretary why the principal teacher of the national school (Roll No. 10,499, Ireland), who was promoted to a higher grade for satisfactory service on 1st April, 1910, has not yet received his grade salary, although Rule 105 (a) of the Commissioners states that teachers promoted from a lower to a higher grade receive on promotion the salary fixed for the grade to which they are promoted; and is it the intention of the Government to allow the Commissioners to pay to the teacher the arrears due to him, which up to 30th September amounted to £18, or is he to be deprived of his just earnings?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis teacher was promoted to the first grade from 1st April, 1910, but cannot at present receive the salary of this grade owing to the limiting numbers in the grade.
§ Mr. J. WALSHIs there no case for inquiry?
§ Mr. BIRRELLWell, this question has been under discussion again and again in the House. The number of persons who are entitled to receive this salary are more than the number of persons who under Treasury Regulations can obtain it. Until there are vacancies these persons must stand out of the increment; till when I cannot say.