Mr Dugald Cowan: I have listened, as every other hon. Member has listened, with very deep interest and pleasure to the speech which has just been delivered. Personal allusions in this House are difficult and delicate, but I may perhaps be permitted to say that, in my view, not any of the many duties falling to the Secretary of State for Scotland can be more congenial to the present occupant of that office...
Mr Dugald Cowan: Last year we admitted somewhere about 160. This year, out of a total of 850, we admitted 120 of these non-graduates. I ask, first, Is it contended that there are certain departments of school life which require an inferior qualification? If so, let us be told what those departments are. I ask, second, Are those non-graduate candidates being admitted simply on the ground of cheapness? If this...
Mr Dugald Cowan: It is true that all these alternatives may exist, but at the present time the proposal is to admit non-graduate candidates to the shortened course, which will turn them out inferior in status as regards scholarship, and will entitle them to a salary of £117, as against £162 for the graduates. It is quite possible that in days to come there may be alternatives to graduation, or an equivalent...
Mr Dugald Cowan: The vital interest of Aberdeenshire in the subject of this Debate is perhaps indicated by the fact that four Members representing different parts of the county have spoken in succession to-night. I would have liked to have said something about small holdings, but I realise that the hour is late and that other Votes are to be discussed. I shall, therefore, say merely that. I agree with a great...
Mr Dugald Cowan: 22. asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can state the amount of the grant from the Scottish Education Fund specifically allotted for the purposes of adult education in Scotland during each of the last three years; and what steps, if any, are now being taken to encourage adult education in Scotland?
Mr Dugald Cowan: 42. asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the amount of Treasury grant specifically devoted to the purposes of adult education in England and Wales during each of the last three years?
Mr Dugald Cowan: Although this Bill is devoted to England and Wales it does, in a sense, affect Scotland. We have been told that a Scottish Bill is to be introduced, making it necessary that there shall be a levy of 5 per cent. on teachers' salaries with a view to helping to provide for the superannuation benefits at present enjoyed. I was interested to hear the President of the Board of Education say that...
Mr Dugald Cowan: As one of the representatives of the Scottish Universities I would Hike to congratulate the Secretary of State and the Under-Secretary for Scotland on the fact that they have been able to carry this Measure to its last stage. It must be a matter of special gratification to my colleague, the Undersecretary, that he has been able so early in his official career, to help forward a Measure which...
Mr Dugald Cowan: I wish to put the case as briefly, temperately and as fairly as I can for a large body of teachers whose interests have hardly been mentioned. I refer to the Scottish teachers. I wish to put some questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland, who may not have an opportunity to-night of replying, but who may take some other means of giving a reply. The economy cuts in teachers' salaries...
Mr Dugald Cowan: The Committee has had from the Secretary of State for Scotland a more than usually interesting pronouncement. With regard to the first part, the statistics given were interesting, but they had little bearing on education per se. It must have been a great pleasure to hon. Members to listen to the enunciation of so many sound educational principles as the right hon. Gentleman made in the latter...
Mr Dugald Cowan: I am always very cautious.
Mr Dugald Cowan: In view of the provisions of this Clause and the vigour of some of the speeches delivered in its support, it might not be inappropriate if university Members were to address the House somewhat in the old Roman fashion: Hail Caesar! Those who are about to die salute thee. Perhaps that is to take too gloomy a view of the Division that will take place at 10.30. I am sure that every member of the...
Mr Dugald Cowan: I rise to support the Second Reading. The merits of the question of raising the age have been so fully discussed on former occasions that there is really little more to he said by one who supports the Measure than that I am in agreement with much that has already been said. I think that the House was disappointed in the speech of the Noble Lord who moved the rejection, and it might well have...
Mr Dugald Cowan: In common with other hon. Members, I listened with great interest and a very large share of satisfaction to the speech of the Secretary of State. He has many departments of Scottish activities for which he is responsible, but I am sure there is no one department among them, the success of which is nearer to his heart than education. I listened, also, with very great interest to the...
Mr Dugald Cowan: I am not quite able to recognise that humble position for Scotland—for it may be taken from the Act and from the right hon. Gentleman that Scotland is in a humble position, since she cannot or will not exercise that power of raising the age until the age has been raised in England. I put the question to the Under-Secretary when we were discussing this matter before, and he stated...
Mr Dugald Cowan: I hold very strongly that hon. Members who take part in a discussion of this kind should confine what they have to say within the briefest possible compass of time. I therefore do not intend to ask the attention of the House for more than a few minutes. The Motion put forward deals with the educational policy of the Government. That policy must embrace Scottish education as well as the...
Mr Dugald Cowan: To make that suggestion was rather like putting evil into the child's head. So far as I know, they have no intention of doing anything of the kind. We have all the difficulties in Scotland that we have in England on this question. You can hardly expect the authorities to come forward with their schemes until they know that they can make preparation for a thing which is certain to come. The...
Mr Dugald Cowan: I have not the exact figures.
Mr Dugald Cowan: I simply stated that, according to the returns issued by the Scottish Education Department, and other statements which have been made, there is at the present time quite a large number of unemployed teachers in Scotland.
Mr Dugald Cowan: No. Those who have completed their training, and are quite eligible for appointments.
