§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to encourage more Scottish teachers to take advantage of the interchange schemes operating with the Commonwealth and with the United States of America.
§ Mr. MaclayTo supplement the leaflets and other publicity provided by the League of the British Commonwealth and Empire and by the British Committee for the Interchange of Teachers, who are responsible for arranging the exchanges, I have asked education authorities and other school managers to draw the attention of teachers to the opportunities which exist for post-to-post exchanges and have urged them, despite their present staffing difficulties, to encourage and sponsor suitable candidates. Moreover, teachers going on exchange to posts in the Southern Hemisphere will again receive the travel grants introduced last year. These, like the cost of living grants given to teachers going on exchange to Canada and the United States of America, should materially increase the attractions of the scheme.
§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland which education authorities refuse to recruit married women to their permanent staffs; and what steps he is taking to end this practice.
§ Mr. MaclayBanff, Caithness, East Lothian, Inverness, Ross and Cromarty and Sutherland. The appointment of teachers is by statute a function of the education authority concerned and I have no power to intervene, but authorities are well aware of my views that it is desirable in the national interest for 155W authorities to do everything possible to encourage married women to return to service.