§ Mr. Storeyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what 360W steps he is taking to give the older boys evacuated from areas where unemployment is high to depopulated agricultural areas technical and practical instruction in agriculture with a view to their absorption on the land when they are above school age?
Mr. LindsayIt is not practicable to give technical instruction in agriculture to children who are still below school leaving age, but the Board have consistently emphasised the importance of making full use of the school environment in the process of education. They have given a lead to local education authorities and teachers in Circular 1474 and Memorandum No. 1 of the Schools in War-time Series (copies of which I am sending to the hon. Member), in which they have stressed the desirability of doing everything possible to make the countryside and its activities attractive to the evacuated children and of giving them practical instruction in gardening. The Memorandum will be followed by others as the season develops.
§ Mr. Storeyasked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to concentrate the older boys evacuated from areas where unemployment is high, in depopulated agricultural areas where they could be given practical instruction in agriculture, with a view to their absorption on the land when they are above school age?
§ Miss HorsbrughThe general movement of evacuation is from densely populated areas to less urban or to rural areas and this of itself will enable many boys to receive an education with a rural bias. I am advised by my Noble Friend the President of the Board of Education that technical instruction in agriculture is not appropriate for children below the school-leaving age, but he has already emphasised to the local education authorities the use that can be made with advantage of the opportunity which the schools will have of assisting to increase our stocks of home-grown food.