§ Mr. HOAREasked the President of the Board of Education if he will state what were the dates when he first received complaints with reference to the differentiation by the local education authorities of Cardiganshire and Glamorganshire as to the salaries of teachers; what was the date of his answers; and what steps he has subsequently taken to deal with the alleged grievances?
Mr. PEASELetters were first received from the correspondents of five voluntary schools in Cardiganshire on 28th September, 3rd, 6th, 27th, and 31st October, 1911, respectively, and from the correspondents of five schools in Glamorganshire on 31st May, 9th June, 9th June, 21st June, and 12 21st June, respectively. The letters from the correspondents have received formal acknowledgment only, pending inquiry and communication with the local education authorities.
§ Mr. HOAREIs not the time between May and March, in the opinion of the right hon. Gentleman, rather a long time to leave these teachers in a position of unmerited inferiority?
Mr. PEASEDirectly my attention was called to the matter, which was in December last, I at once took steps to communicate with the local authorities in the interests of the teachers.
§ Lord ROBERT CECILAre we to understand that the attention of the predecessor of the present Minister was not called at all to this matter?
§ Lord ROBERT CECILIs it impossible for the right hon. Gentleman to acquire knowledge on that point?
Sir H.CARLILEasked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received any complaints, and, if so, how many, from the managers of non-provided schools in the counties of Cardigan and Glamorgan on the subject of the rates of salary paid by the respective local education authorities to the teachers in the schools under their management?
Mr. PEASEI have received complaints, such as are referred to, from the correspondents of five non-provided schools in the county of Cardiganshire, and from the correspondents of five non-provided schools in the county of Glamorgan.
§ Lord ROBERT CECILasked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state the terms of any communications he has made to the local education authorities of Cardiganshire and Glamorganshire with respect to the salaries paid to teachers in non-provided schools, and the dates of those communications?
Mr. PEASEThe local education authorities referred to were furnished with copies of the letters received by the Board with respect to the salaries paid to teachers in non-provided schools, and asked for their observations thereon on the 5th February last.
§ Lord ROBERT CECILAre we to understand that that was the first communication sent on this subject to the education authorities either of Glamorganshire or Cardiganshire?
§ Lord ROBERT CECILCan the right hon. Gentleman inform the House why no step at all was taken between June, indeed May, of last year, and 5th February on this matter?
Mr. PEASEAll I can say is that as soon as my attention was called to it I at once made inquiries of a confidential character. I followed that up by sending this communication on 5th February.
§ Mr. EDWARD WOODHas the right hon. Gentleman received any reply to that from the local education authorities?
§ Lord ROBERT CECILCan the right hon. Gentleman inform us when the local authorities do meet?
Mr. PEASEThe Cardiganshire Education Committee meet on 25th April, and their council meeting is on the same day. The Glamorganshire County Council meets on 14th March. Last week they had, I think, an education committee meeting, but, although I have inquired, I have not yet heard what transpired at that committee meeting.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINDoes the right hon. Gentleman mean to wait till 25th April before taking any steps to get a reply to the inquiry of the Board of Education sent on 5th February?
Mr. PEASEI have already explained to the House that I cannot expedite the meetings of the county councils, and I cannot expect a county council to confirm the proceedings of meetings of their education committee till they do meet.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe question has already been fully answered.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked whether any local education authorities in Wales, other than those of Cardiganshire and Glamorganshire, have made proposals to differentiate between the salaries paid to teachers in denominational and undenominational schools?
Mr. PEASEOn 30th November I received a communication from the correspondent of the Abertillery Church of England school, in which it was alleged that differentiation was made between that school and the provided schools under the authority. This letter was forwarded to the authority on 13th February last. On 24th February the Board were informed that the education committee had resolved on the 22nd to pay the teaching staff of the Church of England school salaries in accordance with the committee's scale as from the 1st April, 1912. On 9th September I received a communication from the correspondent of the Menai Bridge Church of England school, and this was referred to the authority for their observations on 13th February. As I stated in answer to a question on 19th February, I understand from a copy of the proceedings of the education committee of the Merthyr Tydvil local authority that the committee adopted a recommendation of their salaries committee that after 31st March next the teachers in the non-provided schools should be paid at the same rate as the teachers in the provided or council schools. No other cases of alleged differentiation have been brought to my notice.