§ 26. Sir GERALD HURSTasked the President of the Board of Education if he 2184 has considered the representations made to him as the alleged unfairness in the constitution of the Standing Joint Committee on Teachers' Salaries, the 60 members of which include only four women; and what action he proposes to take to give women teachers fuller representation?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHMy concern in the constitution of the Standing Joint Committee on Teachers' Salaries is limited to the associations of local authorities and teachers respectively which are represented on the two panels of those committees. It has not been suggested, and would not be accepted by any of the interested parties, that I should nominate the representatives of the several associations. With regard to the suggestion that women should be more fully represented, I would point out that the National Union of Teachers, the body which appoints members of the teachers' panel, includes the great majority of women teachers in its membership, and also includes many more women members than men members.
§ Sir G. HURSTDoes the right hon. Gentleman think it fair to entrust to one union only the entire selection of teachers' representatives?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHYes, I think it is when all but a small fraction of the teachers are included in that union.
§ Mr. HANNONBut surely the National Union of Women Teachers have some right to be represented?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThe body which represents the vast majority of teachers, more than twice the number of women teachers as compared with men, is the National Union of Teachers.
§ Miss RATHBONEWill the right hon. Gentleman not consider the possibility of nominating some additional women upon the committee, in view of the obvious injustice of the small representation of women? If he cannot concede the principle of asking additional organisations to appoint representatives, would it he beyond his power to redress the balance by making some additional nominations from experienced women teachers?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThis union contains about 40,000 men and 100,000 women.
§ Miss RATHBONEAnd how many representatives have the women?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHIt is not my responsibility if the women, like the vast majority of our own women constituents, prefer to be represented by men.
§ Miss RATHBONE rose—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThis is too big a question to enter upon now.
§ 27. Mr. WHITEasked the President of the Board of Education by what authority the constitution of the Standing Joint Committee on Teachers' Salaries is determined?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHIn the past there has been a difference of opinion between the President of the Board and the Standing Joint Committee on the Salaries of Teachers in Elementary Schools, as to the responsibility for the constitution of the committee. The committee and I are, however, now agreed that responsibility for determining what bodies shall be entitled to appoint representatives and the number of representatives to be appointed by each body rests with the President. I need hardly say that I should not vary the existing constitution without consultation with the committee.