§ Sir W. SMITHERSasked the President of the Board of Education how many teachers there are under the control of the Monmouthshire County Council; whether they exceed, or are deficient to, the number required; and, if so, by how many?
Mr. STANLEYI assume that my hon. Friend refers to teachers in public elementary schools, as the secondary schools are, in the main, not under the direct control of the local education authority, and the amount of full time technical work is comparatively small. In Monmouthshire for 1935–36 an establishment of 1,695 teaching posts in public elementary schools was approved by the Board as a step towards the reduction necessitated by the fall of school population in the area. Although this involved a decrease of 30 teaching posts714W during the year, the Board informed the local education authority that in their view there was still room for further reductions. On the 31st March, 1936, there were 1,694 teachers in full time employment, in the elementary schools. I shall not, however, be in a position to say what the appropriate establishment for 1936–37 is until the detailed examination of the staffing of the individual schools has been completed.