§ 65. Colonel Sir CHARLES SEELYasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that numbers of teachers in elementary schools have received no war bonus and are still working at the same salaries as before the War; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ The PRESIDENT Of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Herbert Fisher)I have no power to require local education authorities to pay war bonuses to teachers, but I have every reason to believe that the great majority of local education authorities have either granted war bonuses of teachers in public elementary schools or increased their salaries.
§ Sir C. SEELYWould the right hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of issuing a circular from the Board of Education asking the local educational authorities to consider this question of granting war bonuses, seeing that he has himself stated that in his opinion the salaries paid before the War were by no means large, and that if they receive no war bonus they will suffer very considerably? My information is that in many cases they have not had any war bonus.
§ Mr. FISHERI have already indicated my attitude towards the remuneration of teachers very clearly, and I do not think that any circular is necessary. I think many local educational authorities are waiting for the Report of the Committee on salaries paid before they take any such action as the hon. Baronet desires.
§ Mr. LOUGHWhen does he think the Report and the other Report with regard to salaries will be issued?
§ Mr. FISHERI hope very shortly.
§ 66. Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in the Departmental Committee set up to inquire into the principles which shall determine the construction of scales of salaries of teachers of elementary schools, no members have been appointed to represent the National Union of Uncertificated Teachers, although uncertificated and supplementary teachers number 54,771; and whether, as these are by far the worst paid teachers employed in elementary schools, he will see that their case is adequately represented by the addition of members of the Committee selected by the National Union of Uncertificated Teachers to represent them?
§ Mr. FISHERI may refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Tavistock on the 5th instant. I am sincerely anxious that the position of teachers in public elementary schools, including uncertificated teachers, should be improved, and I have recently stated the principle of a fixed minimum salary for uncertificated teachers which will involve a very large additional expenditure.
The problems which arise in the construction of scales of salary of uncertificated teachers are much simpler than in the case of certificated teachers. In the case of uncertificated teachers, the amount of their remuneration is much more important than the method of its distribution. The Departmental Committee, however, is not authorised to consider the amounts by which salaries should be improved.
I am afraid I cannot regard the National Union of Uncertificated Teachers as representing the uncertificated and supplementary teachers of the country, and in view of the character of the circular letter issued over the name of their secretary on the 2nd July I should be sorry to do so.
§ 67. Mr. GILBERTasked the President of the Board of Education whether the Board of Education is prepared to make representations to the Treasury to increase during the period of the War, or during the present period of the increased cost of living, the amount of the Government pensions and breakdown allowances to elementary school teachers?
§ Mr. FISHERThe Board have already made representations to the Treasury in this connection, but, as I explained in my answer to the right hon. Member for the Ashford Division of Kent on 20th June, it is difficult to grant relief to one particular class of retired public servants unless it is possible to extend such relief to other classes also.