§ Mr. C. WHITEasked the President, of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. Alfred Harvey, of Roper House, Tansley, near Matlock, who enlisted in September, 1914, serving overseas for three and a half years, and who had a total military service of nearly five years; whether Mr. Harvey was to have sat for his certificate examination in December, 1914, but which he was prevented from taking owing to his enlistment; whether, after demobilisation in February, 1919, he immediately entered a training college and passed the full examination required, afterwards taking up a position at Attleborough Church of England School, Nuneaton, the education authority of which paid him within £25 a year of the amount he would have been entitled to had he not joined the Army, until the Board of Education ordered that no further payment should be made on this scale; whether Mr. Harvey is now employed under the Derbyshire education authority at Tansley schools, his salary there being £60 a year less than he would have received had he not joined the Army in September, 1914, but had waited till the Military Service Act became law; whether Mr. Harvey's patriotism will result in a total loss to him of over £1,200; and whether he will take such steps as will remedy what is considered to be an injustice by every education authority in the country?
§ Mr. FISHERMy attention had not previously been called to this case. The recognition of war service in the calculation of salaries in public elementary schools is governed by Circular 1227, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. Mr. Harvey, who, previously to his enlistment, was an uncertificated teacher for more than three years, apparently does not fulfil the conditions of paragraph 3 (iv) of the Circular.