12. Mrs. Butlerasked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to staff additional nursery schools or classes on a part-time basis, where married women teachers are available for part-time teaching only.
§ Sir D. EcclesWhile these teachers are urgently needed for teaching children of compulsory school age I regret they cannot be spared for staffing additional nursery schools or classes.
Mrs. ButlerIn view of the undoubted need, which I do not think the right hon. Gentleman disputes, where a local education authority can establish that married women teachers are available for part-time teaching in nursery schools but will not in any circumstances teach in primary schools, will he permit the establishment of additional nursery schools?
§ Sir D. EcclesI should welcome such information from a local education authority, but I have never had anything like it.
§ Mrs. WhiteDoes not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that by allowing certain nursery schools to be opened in suitable areas he may release other married women who would be available to teach in primary or secondary schools? This is a matter of balancing the advantages. In many areas it would be far better to allow some nursery classes or schools to be opened to release other married women.
§ Sir D. EcclesIt is not my policy to attract married women into schools by providing them with the means for leaving their small children if they do not want to.