§ Mr. KIDDasked the Secretary for Scotland whether, as a result of the Burnham scale of salaries for teachers in England being considerably more generous than the scale of salaries for teachers in Scotland, Scottish teachers are now emigrating to England, attracted by the better salaries; whether the supply of teachers in Scotland, particularly male teachers, is even now unequal to the demand; whether a greater diminution of the teachers of Scotland will prejudice the education of Scottish pupils; how the emigration of Scottish teachers indicated may be prevented; and whether he intends to take any steps to do so?
§ Mr. MUNROIt is true that the Burn-ham scales of salaries are more generous in some, though not in all, respects as regards qualified teachers than those obtaining in Scotland. But it is important to note that the Burnham scales contemplate the continued employment of a very considerable number of teachers who in Scotland would be regarded as unqualified. These are paid on much lower scales of salaries than the qualified teachers. The number of these unqualified teachers in England and Wales, according to our latest information, is1930W 35,596, whereas in Scotland the corresponding number is only 439. These few are not allowed to reckon as part of the school staff except in very special circumstances.
The transfer of teachers from the one country to the other, and particularly from Scotland to England, has been a practice of long standing which the Department have no desire to restrict. But they have no reason to believe that it is at present on a scale much in excess of the normal, particularly as regards male teachers. The supply of male teachers in Scotland for general purposes is believed to be at least as adequate as in England in proportion to the population. But the proportion of pupils attending secondary schools is much higher in Scotland, and there is at present a shortage of teachers, particularly of male teachers, with the qualifications required for the special work of these schools. It is hoped that the higher scales of remuneration of such teachers compared with those of teachers of primary schools will in time do something to remedy this.
As to the other parts of the question, the Department, as already indicated, have no intention of erecting artificial barriers to check migration of teachers from one country to another, and it rests with the education authorities, collectively or individually, to take such steps as they may think fit in the circumstances of their district, and with due regard to its resources, to maintain a sufficient supply of teachers for the service of their schools. Many, if not most, of these authorities already offer terms of remuneration in excess of the requirements of the minimum national scale.