§ 29. Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Home Secretary whether the circular of 10th February, 1912, in reference to Section 15 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, rendering obligatory for firemen examiners and deputies a certificate from a mining school, institution, or authority, has been sent to the local education authority in Gloucestershire and other counties on the footing that such authority is a mining authority within the meaning of the above Section; and whether, in counties where mining is one of the leading industries, the local education authority is expected to make arrangements either for the instruction or examination of such officials?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe Home Office circular was sent to the Gloucestershire Education Committee, as well as to a number of other education committees, as the authority for technical education in the county. The circular indicated the conditions on which I was prepared to approve mining schools and other institutions and authorities for the purposes of the Act, and inquired whether the education committee desired to undertake the work of examination of firemen in its county. The Gloucestershire Committee and a number of other committees expressed their desire to do so, and have accordingly been approved. There is no compulsion, of course, on any authority to undertake the work, but I have been very glad to secure the co-operation of the county committees in making adequate provision for the examination of firemen under the Act.