§ 35. Mr. GOLDSTONEasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Bradford Local Education Authority have come to an agreement with the spinners of the city under which children are to be allowed to leave school full-time at the age of thirteen, and that such agreement will have the effect of immediately releasing between 3,000 and 4,000 children of thirteen years from school attendance while children at present in half-time employment are to continue in such employment and are to become eligible for full-time exemption at thirteen; whether he is aware that such agreement is a contravention of the local attendance by-laws; and will he say what action the Board of Education proposes to take in the matter, having regard to the fact that the school attendance by-laws for Bradford, as approved by the Board, fix fourteen years as the age for total exemption?
Mr. HENDERSONI am aware of the arrangements made in Bradford, which are substantially as stated in the question, and the ultimate object of which is the permanent abolition of half-time. The hon. Member's estimate of the numbers affected appears to be based on the assumption that all the 1,024 children aged thirteen who are not at present half-timers, and all the 2,737 children of thirteen who are, will become whole-timers and commence work forthwith. It is probable that a considerable proportion of the 1,024 children and some, at any rate, of the 2,737 children will remain in school. Further, it should be remembered that about 2,500 children would, but for this arrangement, be entering the mills as half-timers at the age of twelve in the course of the year. Under the arrangement the interruption of their education will be postponed, at any rate, till the age of thirteen. There was considerable ground for thinking that an increase in the supply of juvenile labour owing to the emergency created by the War was necessary, and it appeared both to the Board and to the local education authority, after most careful consideration, that it was worth while to make some temporary concession 1200 in view of the prospect of terminating thereby, even in a single area, the grave evils of half-time education. With regard to the last part of the question, I may remind my hon. Friend that it is within the discretion of the local education authority to refrain from prosecuting for non-attendance at school in circumstances which constitute a reasonable excuse for such non-attendance, and the Board are of opinion that a temporary relaxation, in accordance with a definite arrangement, in the administration of the by-laws is, in the interests of education, better than their permanent alteration.
§ Mr. GOLDSTONEIs it a fact that in the first instance this local education authority declined to lower its leaving age, but that subsequently, owing to pressure from the Home Office, there was a change made?
Mr. HENDERSONThat is not within my knowledge, and the question ought to be addressed to the Home Office.
§ Mr. WHITEHOUSEMay I ask whether it is the policy of the Board now to offer to reduce the statutory age of thirteen in order to get rid possibly in some employments of the half-time system?
Mr. HENDERSONEach case will be considered on its merits, and, if I think that I can do a deal, whereby I am going permanently to abolish the half-time system, I will take it very seriously into my consideration.
§ Sir W. BYLESAre the Bradford children being exceptionally treated, or will the same rule apply to all children?