§ Sir PHILIP MAGNUSasked the President of the Board of Education if the numbers of pupils entering as bursars and pupil teachers under the Board during the last few years show a considerable decline; whether he can give the figures for the successive years 1907–8 to 1910–11; whether there is any likelihood of a great shortage of teachers in the near future; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to make the teachers' profession more attractive?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The answer to the second part is:—In the first of the four years, 11,292; in the second, 9,565; in the third, 7,915; and in the fourth, 5,997. As to the answer to the third part of the question such diversity of opinion appears to exist that it is not clear whether the occasion has arisen for formulating any such proposal as is suggested in the fourth part.