§ 85. Mr. HOGGEasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that head masters of public schools in Scotland are being called to the Colours irrespective of the size of their schools and in spite of the fact that school boards are finding it difficult to carry on the work of education without them; and, having regard to the present educational need, whether he is prepared, in the interests of Scottish education, to issue a general instruction to tribunals to exempt all head masters of schools having a roll of, say, 300 or more pupils?
§ The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. Munro)I am aware that a certain number of teachers, including head masters, are now being called to the Colours who, until recently, had been retained in the schools by arrangement between the Army Council and the Scottish Education Department. In view of the urgent need for men fit for service abroad, the Army Council have found it necessary to cancel that arrangement so far as it relates to teachers in category A and those who in category B 1 who are under thirty-one years of age, but the school boards concerned were given an opportunity of making application to the local tribunals. Each application falls to be considered by the tribunals on its merits, and, while educational interests will be carefully watched by the Department, I am not prepared to suggest that the adoption of a uniform rule, such as my hon. Friend proposes, is either necessary or expedient.