asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received representations from local education authorities protesting against the proposals in the Unemployment Insurance (No. 2) Bill, under which children between the ages of 14 and 16 are to be treated as industrial units and handed over to the Ministry of Labour instead of being regarded as children who ought to be at school and under the care of the education authorities; and what action does he propose to take in the matter?

No representations have been made to me by local education authorities on the subject of the Unemployment Insurance (No. 2) Bill.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into serious consideration the effects of this proposal upon the secondary schools in this country, and make recommendations?

I am considering the matter, and, indeed, it has already been considered very carefully.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it takes some time for representations to local authorities to get through to the various committees of the councils?