§ 13. Mr. EDGAR JONESasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that of the adult teachers employed in schools under his Department there are 858 paid under £25 as full salary for full-time employment for a whole year, 4,872 less than £35 a year, and 10,434 less than £45 a year; and whether he will approach the Board of Trade to have a wages board set up to deal with these sweated 560 labour conditions, or will endeavour to have these teachers, who are expected to keep up a certain standard of dress and appearance, included in the proposed minimum wages proposals for rural labourers?
Mr. PEASEThe figures quoted by the hon. Member appear to be taken from Table 173 of the Board's Statistical Volume, Part II., for 1909–10, relating to the salaries of women supplementary teachers in England. I regret that more recent figures are not available, but I may mention that the total number of women supplementary teachers has declined since the date of this Table from 15,732 to 13,473. I am not prepared to take the action suggested in the second part of the question, but it is my hope that one of the results of the legislation which I propose will be to improve the remuneration of the teaching profession.
§ Mr. E. JONESWould that legislation contemplate the abolishing of these and not engaging any more?
§ Sir PHILIP MAGNUSCan the right hon. Gentleman furnish a Return showing the places and conditions under which the teachers referred to in the question are now employed?
Mr. PEASEIf the hon. Gentleman will put a form on the Paper showing the character of the Return, I will certainly look into it and see if I can do so.
§ 14. Mr. EDGAR JONESasked the President of the Board of Education if he will state what number of students finished their course as pupil teachers and qualified as assistant teachers in each year from 1900 to 1904, inclusive; what annual number of students who intend qualifying as teachers is considered sufficient to provide an adequate supply; and what number entered this year?
Mr. PEASEThe number of candidates who had been pupil teachers and who qualified for recognition as assistant teachers by passing the King's Scholarship Examination was:—1901, 9,010; 1902, 9,584; 1903, 11,050; 1904, 10,397. Figures for 1900 are not available. The figures for each year do not represent a net addition to the stock of assistant teachers, since 561 some of the successful candidates in each year had already passed the examination and taken up service, while others went direct to training colleges. It is difficult to give an exact answer to the second part of the question, but it is probable that, apart from other sources of supply, at least 8,500 bursars and pupil teachers should be recruited annually, merely to keep the staff of qualified teachers at their present numbers. The number of bursars and pupil teachers recognised for the first time since the 31st July, 1913, is 5,132. In addition, a few applications are still under consideration.
§ Mr. E. JONESWhat steps is the right hon. Gentleman taking to stop this shortage of the teachers, which is causing inconvenience and trouble?
Mr. PEASEI have been in communication with almost every local education authority, and the local education authorities are now considering schemes. Some schemes have been already approved, and that, to some extent, will reduce the shortage.