Dr. Morganasked the President of the Board of Education whether in the consideration of national man-power and the calling up of men of military age for compulsory war service, arrangements have been made for leaving at least one all-round maintenance man for work in schools, especially secondary schools for girls, run on denominational lines and with female staff; whether such necessary work as plumbing, heating, maintenance of electric plant, water supply, window cleaning, etc., is recognised as included in maintenance work; and whether such 1838W secondary schools in the country are being treated, as far as man-power is concerned, on the same lines and equal footing with public schools, such as Roedean, Eton or Harrow?
§ Mr. ButlerThe deferment of the maintenance staff of schools is a matter for the district man power boards, who have been instructed to consult with His Majesty's Inspectors before rejecting applications for the retention by the schools of such essential staff. I can assure the hon. Member that no distinction in these matters is made between different types of school.