§ Mr. SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the secretary of the Scottish Education Department, in addressing the Glas-
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Mr. SNOWDENThe annuity payable to the United States Government this financial year under the Debt Funding Agreement represents 3.6 per cent. of the capital outstanding at the beginning of the financial year; the corresponding figures in the case of the French and Italian Debt settlements with the United States are approximately 1 per cent. and 0.7 per cent. respectively.
§ Mr. WISEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in actual figures and in percentages, what was the then present worth of the annuities payable under the debt settlement with the United States of America, negotiated by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Bewdley, as compared with the original capital amount of the debt; and what were the corresponding figures in respect of the debt settlements with the United States of America made by France and Italy, respectively?
Mr. SNOWDENThe present worth of the annuities payable under the debt settlements with the United States of America, as compared with the original capital amounts of the various debts prior to funding, varies according to the rate of interest assumed for the calculation. In the Combined Annual Report of the United States Foreign Debts Commission (page 443) calculations are given on the basis of the interest rate being 3 per cent., 4¼ per cent. and 5 per cent., and the following figures are extracted from this statement:
gow local association of the Educational Institute, on 27th November last, emphasised existing defects in primary education and urged that various items in the primary curriculum in arithmetic, grammar, spelling, notes on authors, 1157W history, geography, and science everywhere should be jettisoned; and whether, in view of this statement, and his answer to a question in the House on 24th June, 1930, that 60 per cent. of the girls and boys sent forth from the day schools have failed in various degrees to reach the normal goal in education, the Council of Education in Scotland proposes to issue to teachers a revised curriculum for primary education in which unnecessary items will be eliminated and attention concentrated upon the essentials of a sound primary education?
Mr. W. ADAMSONI am aware of the address to which the hon. Member refers, and I am now considering the issue of a circular on the question with which it dealt.
§ Mr. SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to a statement made on 14th January by the Secretary of the Scottish Education Department that in Leith Academy, out of 350 who started on a higher grade course, only 14 gained the leaving certificate, that Leith was an example of what occurred in many, if not most, of the secondary schools in Scotland, and that a solution must be found for this problem, which was one of the most serious educational problems in Scotland; and whether, in view of these statistics and his statement in reply to a question in the House on 1st July, 1930, that out of 77,996 pupils who passed the qualifying standard in primary education 10,550, or nearly 14 per cent., left school without completing even one year in an advanced division, he will now supply a table showing for the secondary schools under each education committee in Scotland statistics on a similar basis to those stated for Leith Academy; whether he will state, in view of the failure to take advantage of advanced education in Scotland, what steps he proposes to take to deal with the situation; and how those schools which were provided for full courses of higher education, but which are now taken advantage of only to the extent stated, may be utilised?
Mr. ADAMSONMy attention has been called to the statement referred to, and when the statistics for which the hon. Member now asks have been tabulated, I will, with his permission, communicate them to him. With regard to1158W the last part of the question, I can assure the hon. Member that this matter is receiving the most earnest consideration of the Department and the education authorities. In the secondary schools alternative courses are being steadily evolved with a view to meeting the needs of pupils of varying types of ability and to preparing them for commerce and industry as well as for the professions.
§ Mr. SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the attention called by the Secretary of the Scottish Education Department to the state of education in the secondary schools, and the opinion he has expressed that the curriculum for primary education is a matter for careful investigation which should be undertaken without delay, he will, in the interest of education and of the parents and ratepayers, and in view of the fact that education in Scotland has, under the Local Government Act, 1929, now passed from the education authorities to new education committees of county councils or town councils, appoint a special committee of inquiry to investigate the whole subject of education in Scotland and its administration?
Mr. ADAMSONAs these matters are at present receiving the careful consideration of the Department and the local authorities, I am satisfied that the appointment of such a committee would serve no useful purpose.