§ 41. Mr. DENMANasked the Minister of Labour whether the number of juveniles aged 14 likely to be employed or available for employment in 1931 is still estimated at 365,000 as stated in Cmd. 3327, 1929: and whether she can say what addition should be made thereto to show the total number of juveniles that would be withdrawn from the labour market if children were kept at school till the end of the term in which they became 15?
§ Mr. LAWSONAfter further consideration of the available information, the figure of 365,000, representing the average number of juveniles aged 14, in Great Britain, who would be likely to be employed or available for employment in 1931 if the school-leaving age remained as at present, has been revised, the number being now estimated at about 332,000. The raising of the school-leaving age as from 1st April, 1931, however, will not involve the immediate withdrawal of this number of juveniles from the labour market since it will not affect those who have reached 14 years of age by that date. It is not possible to state exactly how many boys and girls who would have been 197 available for employment will be retained at school, but it is estimated that by April, 1932, the figure for Great Britain will be between 350,000 and 400,000.