§ 30. Mr. McENTEEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to raise the school-leaving age?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Ramsbotham)My Noble Friend has nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Leigh (Mr. Tinker) on the 16th of July last, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.
§ Mr. McENTEEIn view of the figures given earlier in the day by the Minister of Labour, that there are about 126,000 children between 14 and 18 years of age out of work, will the hon. Gentleman ask his Noble Friend to reconsider this matter?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMMy right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour said that the absorption rate was very satisfactory, and, as regards areas where unemployment is heavy, the hon. Member has to bear in mind certain provisions of the recent Unemployment Act.
§ Mr. McENTEEDoes the hon. Gentleman consider it satisfactory when 126,000 children are considered to be permanently out of work?
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSIs it not the case that the bulk of those children have been out of work only a few days?
§ 31. Mr. McENTEEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state the names of the local authorities that have submitted schemes for the raising of the school-leaving age to 15, giving the number of schemes sanctioned by his Department and where situated?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMPrior to 1931 five local education authorities, Caernarvonshire, East Suffolk, Plymouth, Cornwall and Bath, had, with the sanction of the Board of Education, raised the school-leaving age in their areas by byelaw to 15 years. Since that date similar byelaws have been sanctioned for Chesterfield, Lowestoft and Cheltenham; and, with the Board's concurrence, the authorities of Gloucester City and of Penzance have published their intention to make such a byelaw. Definite proposals for similar byelaws have been received by the Board from the authorities of Barrow-in-Furness, Winchester and Denbighshire. There is also a proposal from Barnsley to raise the age to 14½ instead of 15. These proposals are still under consideration. Proposals were also made by the authorities of Burnley and Huddersfield, but were refused.
§ Mr. McENTEECan the hon. Gentleman give the reasons why those last two are being refused?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMPartly because the education arrangements proposed were not satisfactory, and partly because the areas are not sufficiently self-contained to prevent difficulties of employment arising with neighbouring areas.
§ Mr. T. SMITHWhen will a decision be reached in the case of Barnsley?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMI cannot say without notice.