§ 57. Mr. HOPKINasked the Secretary of State for War what was the number of members in the Officers' Training Corps (senior or junior) last year; what is the average percentage over the last three years of ex-members of the Officers' Training Corps who become officers in the, Regular or Territorial Army; and what percentage over the same period have taken Certificate A from the Officers' Training Corps?
§ Mr. SHAWI will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing, the information for which he asks.
§ Following is the table:
Mr. LEWISSeeing that the great majority of the headmasters of public secondary schools belong to this association, and if the right hon. Gentleman has had no communication with the association, how does he justify his leading the House to believe last week—[Interruption.]
§ 59. Mr. A. SOMERVILLEasked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the tenor of any communications he has received from associations representing masters in secondary schools regarding cadet corps in these schools?
§ 61. Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has received any representations from organisations representing teachers in elementary and secondary schools expressing hostility to cadet corps training on educational grounds; and, if so, whether he will state the nature of such representations and from what bodies they emanated?
§ Mr. SHAWAs I stated in my speech on Army Estimates, I have received a deputation from the National Union of Teachers, and the representations which they made against continuing financial assistance to cadet corps were based on moral grounds.
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that that body does not represent the schools in which there are secondary cadet corps?
§ Mr. SHAWI am aware that it is a very important body dealing with education. I listened to their representations, and made a full statement to the House, and the House decided that my attitude was justified.
Sir LAMING WORTHINGTONEVANSHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention not been called to the statement issued by the Incorporated Association of Headmasters, which appeared in the "Times," and in which the headmasters of secondary schools in which these cadet corps exist deprecate the action of the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEWere the grounds which the right hon. Gentleman has just stated the only grounds on which the Government acted?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSNow that I have called the right hon. Gentleman's attention to the statement to which I referred, will he give consideration to the representations that this body has made?
§ Mr. SHAWI will certainly read the statement that appeared in the "Times," but I cannot guarantee to give any reconsideration to the decision already taken.
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSWill the right hon. Gentleman, at least, continue the facilities to these corps during this season, so that these boys may not be deprived of their summer holiday?
§ Mr. SHAWThat question will give me the opportunity of stating again, with your permission, Mr. Speaker, what I stated in the Debate, namely, that I should not attempt to interfere with things that have been entered into by people genuinely believing that they would get their grant. That will be carried out to the full, but, when they have had this year's grants, they are finished.
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe right hon. Gentleman will appreciate that I was not referring to grants, but to facilities for camping grounds, ordnance matters, and so on?
§ Mr. SHAWWhere it was definitely understood that these facilities would be granted, the facilities will be granted.
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEIn view of the nature of the replies of the right hon. Gentleman, I beg to give notice that I shall call attention to this question at the earliest convenient opportunity on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House.