§ Mr. Whiteasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education 553W whether it is competent for a local authority, under the procedure suggested in Circular 1457, to lay down as a general rule that no employment shall be certified as beneficial unless the hours to be worked are not to exceed 40, eight hours a week being allowed for attendance at a continuation school, and a fortnight's holiday to be given each year?
Mr. LindsayAs pointed out in Circular 1457, the decision under Section 2 of the Education Act, 1936, whether a particular employment may be regarded as beneficial for a particular child can be reached only after considering all the circumstances of the individual case. A rule such as the hon. Member suggests can therefore only be laid down as an indication of what the local education authority think generally desirable, without prejudice to the decision of particular cases in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the Act.