§ 85. Mr. HARRISasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the requirements of the Education Acts as to religious instruction in a State-provided elementary school, he will say whether there are any local education authority areas in England, and, if so, how many, in which religious instruction is not given in provided elementary schools?
§ Lord E. PERCYI find that the Board have no official information on this subject as they do not inspect religious instruction in public elementary schools. The regulation of such instruction in provided schools has been left entirely to the discretion of the local authorities, who are under no obligation to bring the matter to the official cognisance of the Board in the ordinary course of administration.
§ Mr. HARRISCould not the right hon. Gentlemen get the figures for the information for the House, by asking for them from the various local authorities? 2454 teachers in public elementary schools in London, in county boroughs, in boroughs and urban districts, and in areas under county councils, respectively; and what steps, if any, are being taken by the Board to reduce these proportions?
§ Lord E. PERCYAs the reply to this question contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the answer:
On 31st December last the percentage of certificated, uncertificated and supplementary teachers, respectively, to the total number of such teachers employed in each of the different types of area were:
§ Lord E. PERCYI could no doubt send out a request for them. A return was made some 20 years ago. I am a little bit shy about asking local authorities on the point.