HC Deb 28 July 1938 vol 338 cc3289-90
45. Mr. Vyvyan Adams

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what steps he proposes to take since, under the Clause in the Education Act, 1936, empowering local education authorities to issue employment certificates for beneficial employment, it is within the competence of a local education authority to decline to recognise any employment as beneficial, and so to raise without exception the school-leaving age to 15?

Mr. Lindsay

My Noble Friend does not agree with the suggestion that it will be within the competence of a local education authority, under the Education Act, 1936, to decline to recognise any employment as beneficial for children of 14. I would refer in this connection to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for East Birkenhead (Mr. White) on 2nd May last.

Mr. Adams

Does my hon. Friend recall a statement in which he said that the decision whether a particular employment was beneficial or not in a particular case was a matter for the local education authority and that their determination was conclusive; and might not a local authority use such a statement to defeat the intentions of Parliament?

Mr. Lindsay

That was a careful statement. What I said was that a particular employment might be regarded as beneficial for a particular child after considering all the circumstances of the individual case. We stand by that.

Mr. Adams

Then it is not for the local authority to deny the existence of beneficial employment?

Mr. Lindsay

Each employment must be considered on its own merits.

Mr. Macquisten

Is not the matter within the discretion of the local authorities, and, therefore, also within their indiscretion?