HC Deb 12 March 1934 vol 287 cc22-3
50. Mr. ANSTRUTHER-GRAY

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if it is the general practice of Army education officers at recruiting depots to report to local education authorities all cases in which the educational attainments of recruits fall short of a reasonable standard; and in the cases of how many recruits has this been necessary in the past year?

The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Duff Cooper)

If the educational standard of young soldiers is found to be noticeably low, the matter is taken up either by the command education officers or by the inspector of the Army Educational Corps who visits regimental depots and units and is in close liaison with the Board of Education. I am not in a position to give statistics.

Mr. PETHERICK

Will my hon. Friend issue instructions to officers commanding depots and other units to bring notice of really serious cases of defective education to the command education officer, whose duty it would be to hand on the cases to the directors of education or to put them before the Board of Education?

Mr. COOPER

I think all such cases are now brought to the notice of the Board of Education.