§ 42. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education, in reference to Table 3 on page 13 of the Statistics of Public 2498 Education (Cd. 6934), whether he has observed that in the decennial period ending 1901 the population between three and fifteen years of age increased 3.28 per cent., and the scholars in attendance between three and fifteen years increased 17.71 per cent., but that in the decennial period ending 1911 the like child population increased 5.5 per cent., and the scholars in attendance only increased 2.9. per cent.; and whether any explanation can be given of this marked decline in the proportion of scholars attending schools to total child population?
Mr. PEASEThe explanation of the decline in the rate of increase in the number of scholars on the registers of public elementary schools in the decennium ending 1911 as compared with that ending 1901 is to be found in the falling off of the number of children under five years of age who are on the school registers. This falling off has already been the subject of comment in the Reports issued by the Board. In the decennium it amounts to a decrease of over 45 per cent.; the children aged between five and fifteen who are on the registers have in the same period increased by more than 8 per cent.; hence the figure of 2.9 per cent. total increase mentioned in the question.
§ Mr. KINGDoes the right hon. Gentleman remember that on the Estimates he gave a totally different explanation, namely, that the falling off was due to the declining birth-rate, and do not my figures show that I was quite right in my contention?
Mr. PEASEI think I could give the hon. Gentleman an explanation. I shall be very glad to send him one.