asked the President of the Board of Education if he can state the number of certificated and non-certificated teachers, respectively engaged partly or wholly in educating children under six in the public elementary schools?

The numbers of certificated and non-certificated teachers engaged wholly with children under six years old, on 3lst March, 1931, were 3,943 and 2,633 respectively. I regret that I cannot, without a disproportionate amount of labour, ascertain the figures for those engaged only partly with such children.

asked the President of the Board of Education what would be the approximate annual saving if only non-certificated teachers were em- ployed in the education of children up to the age of six years in public elementary schools?

If all the certificated teachers employed wholly in the education of children under the age of six were replaced by non-certificated teachers, the annual saving in salaries would be approximately £370,000; but unless the certificated teachers were dismissed, the net saving would, of course, be very much less, or might be entirely eliminated, if by rearrangement of staffs the displaced certificated teachers were employed to replace non-certificated teachers now engaged in teaching older children.

Viscountess ASTOR:

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that in many eases it is just as important to have trained and certificated teachers for young children as for the elder, and some educational experts—not people who just want to economise on children first—think it is even more important?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that uncertificated teachers are now claiming the same scale of salary as certificated teachers?

They are not obtaining it. It is perfectly true that the teaching of young children requires a very considerable amount of skill.

Viscountess ASTOR:

Will the right hon. Gentleman ask some of the Members who are asking these questions if they would get untrained people to look after their children?

Mr. MACOUISTEN:

Would it not be much better if these young children were under the care of motherly widows?