HC Deb 16 April 1931 vol 251 cc335-6
17 and 18. Mr. SMITHERS

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) whether any further negotiations have taken place under his auspices during the past month with the object of obtaining agreement with the non-provided schools as to the basis on which they shall be assisted financially in the event of the school-leaving age being raised; and what are his intentions in this matter;

(2) on what date he intends to reintroduce the Bill to raise the school-leaving age to 15?

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Lees-Smith)

I beg to refer the hon. Member to the answers which I gave to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Everard) on the 26th March and the hon. Member for Colchester (Mr. O. Lewis) on the 2nd April last, of which I am sending him copies.

Mr. SMITHERS

May I have an answer to my question as to whether any further negotiations have taken place during the past month?

Mr. LEES-SMITH

There have been private conversations, but no negotiations.

Mr. FOOT

In those private conversations are all parties being taken into consideration?

Mr. LEES-SMITH

Yes, Sir. But I have only just begun them.

21. K. WOOD

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he proposes to initiate any further negotiations in relation to the question of special grants to non-provided schools?

Mr. LEES-SMITH

I hope to be able to initiate further negotiations on this matter.

Sir K. WOOD

Do I understand that no negotiations have yet been undertaken

Mr. LEES-SMITH

Conversations, but I should not care to call them negotiations.

Sir K. WOOD

When do conversations end and negotiations begin?