§ 76. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Glamorgan education authority have agreed to improve the salaries of teachers in several voluntary schools within the county, subject to the condition that the teachers and managers of the schools concerned execute an approved agreement, whereby they shall accept and be bound by the regulations of the local authority affecting teachers in council schools; whether such regulations provide for the transfer of teachers to other schools at the discretion of the authority; whether such an agreement or condition can be enforced, having regard to the fact that under Section 7 (7) of the Education Act of 1902 the managers of a non-provided school have all the powers of management required for the purpose of carrying out that Act, and, subject to certain reservations, have the exclusive power of appointing teachers; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent the 1101 local authority enforcing conditions 'which would place managers and teachers in an untenable position?
Mr. PEASEThe answers to the first and second parts of the question are in the affirmative. Whether such an agreement is legally enforceable is a matter for the Courts to decide. I have no occasion to intervene, unless a question arises under Section 7 of the Education Act, 1902, between the local education authority and the managers and is submitted for the Board's determination.
§ 77. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked the President of the Board of Education whether the managers of the Bryncoch Church of England school, Glamorgan, appealed to the Board of Education against the action of the Glamorgan education authority in paying the assistant teachers in the above-mentioned school at lower rates of salary than teachers with similar qualifications and experience in council schools; whether he is aware that on the local authority being made acquainted with this appeal they informed the managers of the Bryncoch school that any improvement that may be made in the salaries of the assistant staff will no doubt be deducted from the excessive salary of the head teacher, at the same time inviting the managers to terminate the existing agreement with the head teacher in order that the reduced salary may be payable to him at the end of three months; whether the salary of the head teacher which is thus described as excessive is less than the salary obtained by assistant teachers in many other parts of the country; and whether the Board of Education propose to take any action in the matter?
Mr. PEASEThe answers to the first and second parts of the question are in the affirmative. Whilst there may be some assistant teachers whose salary exceeds that of the £193 paid to the head tetcher of the school referred to, the average salary for certificated assistant teachers in England and Wales for the year 1911–12 was £128 and £115, respectively. With reference to the last part of the question, the managers were asked on the 22nd July whether they desired to allege that the Glamorganshire local education authority has failed, having regard to the salaries paid at the school, to observe the obligation imposed upon it under the Act of 1902 to maintain and keep efficient the school referred to. No reply has been received to this letter.