§ 69. Mr. Gammansasked the Minister of Education if she is satisfied that the special grant of £75 made to teachers who are now in the U.S.A. is adequate to cover the rise in cost of living and other expenses to which they have been put; and what representations she has received from the teachers on this subject.
§ Miss WilkinsonYes, Sir. Representations were received, mainly through hon. Members, on behalf of rather more than a dozen of the teachers as to the difficulty of meeting unforeseen expenses, but my present information is that the new special grant is generally regarded as adequate.
§ Mr. GammansWould not the right hon. Lady agree that it is perfectly useless to send our teachers over to America unless, while they are there, they can maintain a decent standard of living, and will she assure herself, in view of the rising costs of living in America at the present time, that this amount is sufficient?
§ Miss WilkinsonThe hon. Member must realise that every one of the teachers selected for interchange was informed beforehand that about £600 would be needed for the whole year, including the cost of return fare. The whole question 498 was gone into very carefully with them, and they all agreed. Then they were suddenly faced with an entirely new situation; we were asked to meet it, and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer very generously did meet it.
§ Mr. NicholsonIf new arrangements have been made, will the right hon. Lady tell the House what they are, because I know there is very great feeling about it?
§ Miss WilkinsonThen the hon. Gentleman is not quite up to date. We have given a grant to meet the increased expenditure.
§ Mr. NicholsonHow much?
§ Miss WilkinsonSeventy-five pounds.