§ 17 and 18. Mr. SMITHERSasked 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 336 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. SMITHERSMay I have an answer to my question as to whether any further negotiations have taken place during the past month?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThere have been private conversations, but no negotiations.
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHYes, Sir. But I have only just begun them.
§ 21. K. WOODasked 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-SMITHI hope to be able to initiate further negotiations on this matter.
§ Sir K. WOODDo I understand that no negotiations have yet been undertaken
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHConversations, but I should not care to call them negotiations.
§ Sir K. WOODWhen do conversations end and negotiations begin?