§ Sir CYRIL COBBasked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a certificated teacher who has accepted the provisions of the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1898, and who had retired from teaching before 1st April, 1919 and before attaining the age of sixty-five years, is entitled to the benefits of the School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1918, provided that he has completed the necessary period of service, whereas a. certificated teacher who attained the age of sixty-five years at any time before the 1st April, 1919, and received an allowance under the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1898, is precluded from the benefits of the Act of 1918; and whether he will take steps to have the Act amended in order to remove this difference of treatment?
§ Mr. FISHERThe position is as stated by the hon. Member. The principle of the 1918 Act is that teachers who reached the age of sixty-five and retired before 1st April, 1919, do not benefit, and I am not prepared to take steps for the amendment of the Act in order to extend the exceptional treatment which is accorded to teachers whose claims under the Act of 1898 had not matured on 1st April, 1919.