§ Mr. WHITEHOUSEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the fact that many Labour Exchanges are still without advisory committees to assist juveniles in the choice of employment, he will enter into negotiations after the close of this year with education authorities who have not signified their intention of exercising their powers under the Education (Choice of Employment) Act, with a view to securing, as rapidly as possible, that no Labour Exchange shall place juveniles unless a juvenile advisory committee is at work in connection with that exchange?
§ Mr. J. M. HENDERSONalso asked the President of the Board of Education whether, referring to the joint memorandum, issued in January, 1911, with regard to co-operation between Labour Exchanges and local education authorities, in which the date specified for the local authorities to decide as to exercising their powers under the Choice of Employment Act, 1910, was 31st December, 1911, and having regard to the circular 782 of the Board of Education, issued only in August last, introducing the new condition of a partial Grant-in-Aid of expenses to the local education authorities desiring to exercise their powers, any extension of the time, 31st December, 1911, will be given to enable the local authorities to decide, under the new conditions of the partial grant, whether they will exercise their powers under the said Choice of Employment Act?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. J. A. Pease)I have consulted my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on this matter and he informs me that, in view of the unavoidable delay in the issue of the circular 199 referred to, he does not propose to take active steps to promote the formation of any local juvenile advisory committees under the Labour Exchanges Act till after 30th June next, unless satisfied that the local education authority do not propose to exercise their powers under the Education (Choice of Employment) Act, 1910. I hope that local education authorities will take advantage of this postponement to prepare schemes under the Education (Choice of Employment) Act in accordance with the joint memorandum issued by the Board of Education and Board of Trade a year ago. Both Departments will be glad to do anything they can to expedite the formation of such schemes in districts in which committees have not already been appointed. The Board of Education have recently instructed their inspectors to bring the importance of the matter to the notice of local education authorities, and I understand that my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has given instructions to divisional officers of Labour Exchanges to give any assistance in their power.