§ Mr. LEWISasked the President of the Board of Education on what grounds the Board refuse to recognise for grant purposes the service of teachers with the Crown forces after January, 1919; how the Board proposes to treat such service for superannuation purposes; and whether the Board's ruling applies to those teachers engaged in educational work in the Army after the Armistice?
Mr. WOODWith regard to the first part of the question, I may refer the hon. Member to paragraph 4 (b) of Circular 1227, a copy of which I am sending him. There is no general rule excluding service with the Forces of the Crown after January, 1919, in the calculation of salary. The Board are unable, however, under the terms of the Circular, to recognise for this purpose service for which a teacher volunteered after the Armistice. So far as superannuation is concerned, the matter is governed by Section 15 (1) (f) of the School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1918, and Rule 19 (1) of the Rules made thereunder. The fact of service being rendered before or after the date of the Armistice is not relevant so long as it was rendered before the statutory termination of the late War. These principles are of general application.