§ Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he can give figures showing how many boys and girls have, since the War began, received certificates of proficiency permitting them to leave school and be employed; and whether he will publish in the Votes such figures as are readily available showing the number of such certificates of proficiency issued by inspectors of the Board of Education to boys and girls in elementary schools, both for some period since the War began and a corresponding prewar period?
Mr. HENDERSONThe Board are not in possession of information which would enable them to furnish the figures asked for. I will consider whether the information can be collected without excessive labour. I may, however, point out that the information would throw no light on the number of children under fourteen who have entered employment, since many children obtain exemption otherwise than by a certificate of proficiency.
§ Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Regulations under which certificates of proficiency are given entitling children of eleven years of age and upwards to be withdrawn from school and employed were fixed in 1901; and whether, in view of medical inspection of school children having been since introduced, he will now revise those Regulations in order to secure that no child shall be employed with a certificate of proficiency unless medically certified by the school doctor to be capable of being so employed without danger to his or her health?
Mr. HENDERSONThe Regulations as to certificates of age, proficiency, and school attendance at present in force were made in 1901. The Board would have no power to make a general regulation that no child should be exempted from attendance at school for purpose of employment unless medically certified by the school doctor to be capable of being so employed without danger to his or her health. Where it is a condition of exemption that the employment should be benefical, authorities in considering whether this condition is fulfilled would naturally satisfy themselves that the employment is not injurious to the child's health. I may also point out that a certificate from840W the certifying surgeon is required before a child or young person under sixteen can be employed in a factory, and that the Employment of Children Act, 1903, contains provisions for safeguarding the health of children in other employments.