Sir J. D. REESasked the President of the Board of Education on what basis and for what reason payments are made to local educational authorities who make extra payments in respect of second-class degrees under the discretion they possess in this behalf; and will he explain what 1569W amount of public money was spent in this manner in the year ending 31st March,1922?
§ Mr. FISHERThe Report of the Standing Joint Committee on Scales of Salaries for Teachers in Secondary Schools provides that an addition of £25 may be made to the minimum of a teacher's salary and an addition of £50 to the maximum if the teacher has obtained a good Honours Degree. The Report also provides that a second-class Honours Degree shall not be recognised as a good Honours Degree unless the circumstances appear to merit such recognition. I regret that the information at present available is not sufficient to enable me to state the amount spent during the year ending the 31st March, 1922, in making such payments to teachers holding second-class Honours Degrees. It will be seen, however, from Circular 1,253, of which I am sending a copy to the hon. Baronet, that the Board of Education have taken steps to limit the expenditure on such payments which they will take into account for purposes of grant.