HC Deb 27 February 1919 vol 112 cc2033-4

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £57,955, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1919, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of the Inspector of Reformatories, and for the Expenses of the Maintenance of Juvenile Offenders in Reformatory, Industrial, and Day Industrial Schools, and in Places of Detention under the Children Act, in Great Britain.

Sir DONALD MACLEAN

I do not know whether the Secretary for Scotland is here, but I gave him notice that I would ask a question. Perhaps the Minister in charge of the Estimate will convey the point I wish to put. My point is whether this supplementary sum for reformatory and industrial schools in Scotland includes the very necessary amount which is required to raise the salaries of the teachers and the attendants in those institutions?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Hamar Greenwood)

I will convey to the Secretary for Scotland what has been said by my right hon. Friend. This particular Estimate, however, does not deal with the point he raises. This Government Grant is entirely for the schools and is conditional on the Local Government Grant being of equal amount.

Sir H. CRAIK

The new scale which extends to these voluntary schools has necessitated large changes being made in all the schools in Scotland, and if the status of the teachers at the reformatory schools is to be kept up to the level of the others then this Grant is absolutely necessary.

Mr. KILEY

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman say if this increase is due to extra cost of maintenance or extra inmates?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

This Estimate is to meet alone the rise in the cost of living. I quite agree as to the importance of the subject which the right hon. Member for the Scottish Universities has raised, but it does not arise in this Supplementary Estimate.