§ 50. Mr. ROBERT RICHARDSONasked the President of the Board of Education what proportion of the scholars leaving elementary schools proceed to secondary schools; and what is the average age of entrants to secondary schools?
§ Lord E. PERCYWith regard to the first part of the question, I may refer the hon. Member to the reply (of which I am sending him a copy) given by me on 3rd March to the hon. Member for Elland (Mr. W. C. Robinson). As regards the second part of the question, the information in my possession indicates that pupils most commonly enter secondary schools between 11 and 12 years of age. and that about two-thirds of them enter before the latter age.
§ Mr. RICHARDSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the right hon. Member for the English Universities (Mr. H. Fisher) set up a Departmental Committee on this matter, and that their conclusion was that 66 per cent, of our children are fitted to go to secondary schools? What steps will the right hon. Gentleman take to bring about that result?
§ Mr. W. THORNEDoes the right hon. Gentleman not think that many of the children in elementary schools would go to the secondary schools if it were not for the prohibitive fees imposed upon them by the local authorities?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a matter for debate.