Captain FABERasked the President of the Board of Education whether a head teacher is entitled to three months' notice, according to agreement, after the Board of Education has decided that the school in which he is serving may be considered unnecessary; and whether the local education authority or one of its officials can anticipate a decision of the Board of Education as to whether a school is necessary or not by giving notice to terminate a teacher's engagement while the matter is still sub judice at the Education Office?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI presume that the hon. and gallant Member's question refers to a teacher in a public elementary school, but he has not informed me whether the school in question is a school provided by the local education authority or a voluntary school. It is only in exceptional circumstances that the local education authority have power of their own motion to terminate the engagement of a teacher in a voluntary school. In the case of a teacher appointed by the local education authority in a school provided by them the rights of the parties are, of course, determined by the terms of the contract under which the teacher was engaged, and the Board have no power to decide questions arising under any such contract.