§ Sir E. Cadoganasked the President of the Board of Education, what progress has been made with the Government's physical training scheme and whether he is receiving co-operation from the local authorities in this matter?
§ Mr. RamsbothamI assume that my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to the arrangements set out in Circular 1529. As regards the supply of organisers and leaders, under the arrangements made through the Directorate of Physical Recreation about 100, or well over a third of the total number of men asked for, have already been released by the military authorities, and the process is continuing; whilst between 400 and 450 men who would otherwise have been called-up have been placed on deferred service and so enabled to continue their work with young people. In addition, notwithstanding the very adverse conditions of the last five months, the Central Council of Recreative Physical Training have, as a result of the increased staff which the Board have enabled them to employ, not only maintained, but substantially expanded, the number of their training courses for leaders in association with local authorities and voluntary bodies, and other courses have been conducted by local authorities and voluntary bodies independently. The response of the young people themselves has been 323W encouraging, as is indicated by the formation of new groups and the development of Youth Service Corps, which are already in operation or are being planned in the areas of about 30 local education authorities. In the expansion of the work both the local authorities and voluntary bodies are giving me their active co-operation.