HC Deb 15 July 1925 vol 186 c1274
65. Mr. T. WILLIAMS

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, seeing that it would be much cheaper to extend the school age to 15 years and pay maintenance grants for each child than to pay unemployment pay to married men with or without families, he will consider the advisability of taking steps in this direction with a view to solving the unemployment problem on sound economic lines?

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Lord Eustace Percy)

I am afraid that I can accept neither the hon. Member's premises nor the conclusions which he asks me to draw from them.

Mr. WILLIAMS

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware of the permanent element in the unemployment problem as referred to by the Prime Minister and other Ministers, and does he not think that this would help towards a real solution?

Lord E. PERCY

I am afraid that this would not be a material solution of the problem at all.

Mr. WILLIAMS

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the Prime Minister stated that even before the War we had an unemployed army of 500,000, and would not what I have suggested take a number of people away from the streets—

Mr. SPEAKER

We cannot argue this question.

Mr. MAXTON

Will this question come within the scope of the inquiry of the Committee which the noble Lord is setting up?

Lord E. PERCY

Certainly.