HC Deb 14 March 1918 vol 104 c498W
Mr. KING

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the military schools in certain garrison towns, notably York, Portsmouth, and Colchester, are over-staffed with Army teachers while there is a dearth of teachers in local authority schools in these and other places; and whether Army teachers can be released for work under local authorities?

Mr. MACPHERSON

The policy of lending surplus Army schoolmistresses to local education authorities has been in force since the beginning of the War. There are at present ten Army schoolmistresses working in civil schools, but as a draft of schoolmistresses is shortly proceeding to India, it is not possible, without unduly depleting the staffs of Army schools, to lend any more. There are no Army schoolmasters to spare as more are, in fact, wanted for Army schools.