HC Deb 04 May 1944 vol 399 cc1464-5
37. Mrs. Cazalet Keir

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he can give any indication in numbers of the men and women in the Services who have intimated their desire to enrol in the emergency scheme for the teaching profession; and whether he has arranged the necessary priority for their demobilisation.

Mr. Butler

Preliminary information about the scheme of emergency training for the teaching profession is being made available to the Services, but no steps have yet been taken to ascertain how many men and women will wish to apply for enrolment under the scheme; nor is it possible to make any statement now as to the arrangements which will be made for releases from the Services.

Mrs. Cozalet Keir

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied with the scheme?

Mr. Butler

Yes. Following upon the MacNair Report, published to-day, we propose to give details of the emergency training scheme, which will, I hope, meet the emergency needs of the education service.

Mr. Lipson

To whom do men and women in the Forces have to make application for enrolment as prospective teachers?

Mr. Butler

I cannot go into details at this stage.

Mr. Sorensen

What objection can there be to securing preliminary lists of applications from those in the Services?

Mr. Butler

There is nothing that I can say officially, but the hon. Member will be aware that we are always on the spot and we are doing our best in difficult circumstances.