42. Dr. VERNON DAVIESasked the President of the Board of Education if he has reached any decision as to the age at which it is inadvisable for boys to be taught by women teachers?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANNo, Sir. Discretion in this matter rests with the local education authorities.
Dr. DAVIESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many schoolmasters in the country hold definite views on this point, and would welcome an expression of opinion from the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANIt is possible.
43 and 44. Dr. DAVIESasked the President of the Board of Education (1) if he has any statistics as to the health of men and women teachers; and is there any evidence to show that the health of women teachers is not as good as that of men teachers;
(2) if he can express in percentages of the number of teachers employed in either sex the 347 men and 1,609 women teachers who were granted infirmity allowance for the three years ending 31st March, 1930; and if these allowances were for life or for a limited period of time?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThe infirmity allowances awarded in the three years ended 31st March, 1930, represent in the case of men 0.2 per cent. of the total number of teachers employed, and in the case of women 0.4 per cent. These allowances are awarded for life. These figures show that a higher percentage of women qualify for infirmity allowances; but I have no other evidence which would justify me in drawing a comparison between the sexes in the matter of health.
Dr. DAVIESWill the President of the Board of Education bear these statistics in mind when he is considering the extra number of teachers who will be required when the school age is raised?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANYes, Sir.