§ 22. Mr. John Morganasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the decision of the Isle of Ely 1009 Education Committee authorising the employment of boys and girls of 12 years of age on farms for the potato- and beet-lifting season; and whether such a decision was reached with his approval?
Mr. LindsayMy attention has been called to this matter. The decision of the education committee, upon which the Board were not consulted, is in direct contravention of the explicit statutory provisions of Section 18 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, and of the local school attendance by-laws. I have drawn the attention of the authority to this.
§ Mr. MorganWhile thanking the Minister for taking prompt action, will he indicate to other education authorities that they should set their face against any tendency to employ children on farms for these specific purposes, particularly in such weather as we are now having?
Mr. LindsayI hope this question and answer will help. I think education has been sufficiently interrupted without anything further.
§ Mr. MorganMay I ask whether the action taken through this authority is sufficient to stop the practice in this case?
§ Mr. Rhys DaviesIs the hon. Gentleman aware that if this sort of thing happened under the Factories Act, there would be a prosecution? Can proceedings be taken in such cases as these?
Mr. LindsayI should like to have notice of that question. We drew attention to the matter immediately.
§ Major-General Sir Alfred KnoxDo not these children regard it as a pleasure?
Mr. LindsayI ought to make it clear to my hon. and gallant Friends that the Board are strongly in favour of giving every possible opportunity to school children over the age of 14 in evacuation areas to enter rural life.
§ Mr. PalingIs the hon. Gentleman aware that we have just been told that there are nearly 20,000 agricultural labourers unemployed?