Captain DARCY HALLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the cost of any additional school buildings in England and Wales, respectively, which would be required to house the additional children who would be retained at school if the school-leaving age was raised to 15?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMMy Noble Friend regrets that, in view of the number of uncertain factors involved, it is not possible to frame any reliable estimate.
Captain HALLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education if, assuming that the school-leaving age is raised to 15, he will state the number of additional children who would be compelled to attend State- and rate-aided schools in England and Wales, respectively?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThe number of additional children to be retained in school would depend on the date from which the school-leaving age was raised. If it were raised from 1st April, 1934, the additional number in England and Wales is estimated at slightly over 600,000 in a full year, falling to about 500,000 in 1937. The distribution of the total additional numbers would be approximately 93 per cent. in England and 7 per cent. in Wales.