§ Mr. T. GRIFFITHSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps have been taken for the discharge of the teachers serving as temporary schoolmasters in the Navy, whoso services are required in the children's schools; what is the number and what is the proportion to the total who have been already discharged or demobilised; whether the proportion of temporary schoolmasters so released is as great as that of other ratings; and whether the Admiralty will take steps to quicken the demobilisation or discharge of these teachers, and so enable the educational service of the local educational authorities to be as quickly as possible brought up to its former strength?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI would remind my hon. Friend that teachers serving in the Royal Navy as temporary schoolmasters are actually engaged in the exercise of their profession, and are therefore not in the same position as regards demobilisation as members of the teaching profession who are serving in other capacities. Steps have been taken to release as many as can possibly be spared, having regard to naval educational requirements, priority of release being given to those who are claimed as pivotal men by the Board of Education. The number serving on the 29th January was 233, and the number ordered to be demobilised is 150. Of these, about 100 have already been re- 579W leased, and the remainder will go within the next ten days. The proportion released is greater than that of the ratings. As regards those serving otherwise than in their professional capacity, orders were given in December last for officers and men who were teachers to be demobilised if they wished, subject to the requirements of the Service, but as their classification in Industrial Group 43 comprises both students and teachers, the number of teachers included in the total number of this group who have been released, namely, 775 up to the 11th February, cannot be stated.