§ Mr. WESTWOODasked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that the Minister of Education for England has given permission to English education authorities to raise the school age to 15; and, if so, what action, if any, does he propose to take on this question in its relationship to Scotland?
Mr. ADAMSONI am aware that my right hon. Friend has announced that he is prepared to consider byelaws for this purpose on their merits, having regardinter alia to the condition that there should be a sufficiency of school accommodation and of teaching staff throughout the area to provide for the education of all the children between 14 and 15 who are subject to the byelaw. As my hon. Friend is aware, the corresponding procedure in Scotland would not be by approval of byelaws framed by education authorities, but by the appointing of a day. The corresponding condition, however, cannot but be present to my mind in the very careful consideration which I am giving to the matter.