§ 49. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the President of the Board of Education, with reference to the proposed raising of the school age to 15, whether any associations representing parents' interests have been consulted; and if he will name them?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Sir Charles Trevelyan)I have not consulted any such associations. But a large majority of the parents voted in favour of the change at the General Election.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEMay we take it for a fact that the right hon. Gentleman intends to keep children in school up to the age of 15 without the parents' consent?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI have already pointed out that the parents' consent has been given.
Viscountess ASTORIs it not a fact that this scheme has been tried in Plymouth for three years and has been found a great success?
§ 50. Mr. ANNESLEY SOMERVILLEasked the President of the Board of Education how many trained teachers leave the training colleges and the universities annually?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANMay I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him to his own question on Monday last?
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEI apologise to the right hon. Gentleman for the repetition.
§ 51. Mr. BEAUMONTasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the proposed raising of the school age, the Hadow Report still represents the educational policy of His Majesty's Government?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThe raising of the school age was an integral part of the Hadow Report. The late Government rejected it. The present Government has adopted it.
§ Mr. BEAUMONTCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us—the Hadow Report did not—what arrangements he proposes to make for the provision of central schools in areas entirely served by voluntary schools?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question does not arise.
§ 54. Captain TODDasked the President of the Board of Education if, in his proposals for the raising of the school-leaving age to 15, he is making any provision for financial assistance to non-provided schools to assist in the provision of the new school places that will be required?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI cannot at present add anything to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Devonport (Mr. Hore-Belisha) on the 4th July, of which I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy.
§ Mr. OLDFIELDAs well as making arrangements for meeting the representative of local authorities and teachers upon the matter of the school leaving age, is the right hon. Gentleman also making arrangements to receive those persons who are responsible for the building and the owning of non-provided schools?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI have not been approached about the matter. I shall meet everyone who is closely concerned with the problem.
§ Mr. OLDFIELDIn view of the fact that the right hon. Gentleman is meeting certain local authorities on Tuesday, I want to know whether he is meeting the representatives of the non-provided schools as well?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI cannot meet everybody at once.
§ Mr. LAMBERTMay we take it that no further assistance will be given to non-provided schools unless a further measure of public control is enforced?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI have already answered that question.
§ Lord EUSTACE PERCYAre we to understand that the right hon. Gentleman will not invite the voluntary bodies to meet him unless he receives a request from them first?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI am quite certain that if, as collective bodies, they want to see me, they will come and ask. The local authorities have a definite duty in connection with the matter, and, therefore, must necessarily see me.
§ 58. Mr. SMITHERSasked the President of the Board of Education what increase there would be in the number of children attending elementary schools by raising the school age to 15; what amount of extra school buildings would be necessary; hew many more teachers would be required; and what would be the total cost to the State and to the local education authorities?
§ 59. Mr. A. SOMERVILLEasked the President of the Board of Education what he estimates will be the additional annual cost of raising the school leaving age to 15: how many additional school places will be required when the age is raised in 1931; in how many schools will these places have to be provided; and what he estimates will be the cost of providing such additional accommodation?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThe increase in the number of children who will be on the registers of public elementary schools a full year after raising the school age is estimated to be 401,000. For reasons which I have previously given, I am unable to give any reliable estimate at the present time of the cost of raising the school leaving age, the number of additional teachers, or the additional school places which would be required.
§ Mr. SMITHERSAre we to understand that the Government are embarking on this great scheme without any adequate idea, at all of what it will cost, or how much extra accommodation will be required?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANAt present I cannot possibly have any exact estimate, because I have not yet fully consulted the local authorities. The situation varies exceedingly all over the country; it is costly in one case, and not costly in another, and it is impossible at present to give any definite estimates.
§ Mr. SMITHERSIs the Minister aware that if any other business was run on those lines, it would be bankrupt?
§ 69. Sir ERNEST SHEPPERSONasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the fact that the compulsory raising of the school age from 14 to 15 must seriously affect the whole agricultural industry, and particularly the interests of the agricultural worker himself, he will take steps to exclude rural areas from coming within the scope of the proposed Bill to raise the school-leaving age?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANNo, Sir, I do not intend to propose the exclusion of rural areas.
§ Sir E. SHEPPERSONIf the right hon. Gentleman is unable to exclude attendance between the ages of 14 and 15 in rural areas, will he consider making the attendance in agricultural areas between 14 and 15 voluntary and not compulsory?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI do not want to put any class of children at a disadvantage.
§ Mr. ROSBOTHAMMay I ask the Minister if he has found from experience that agricultural workers are as keenly interested in education as any other workers?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI do not think that that question arises.