raising of the school leaving age to 15 was not immediately prac- 
bicable in Scotland. These difficulties would, we understand, be 
most acute precisely in the areas affected by the depression in 
the heavy industries. Secondly, even if it were practicable to carry 
out the change in the depressed areas immediately, the change, as 
a contribution to the transfer problem with which we are alone con- 
cerned, seems to us to be of doubtful advantage. By preventing the 
employment of boys of 15 and 16 it would be likely 
to create a greater demand for the labour of juveniles 
in the immediately higher age groups (not necessarily 
squivalent to the amount of labour withdrawn from the market 
in the lower age groups), but there is room for serious doubt 
whether it would have a corresponding reaction on the employment 
of workers of 18 and over. Its general effect, partly by holding 
out hopes of more employment in the future for young persons, 
would be to anchor them and their parents more firmly to the 
depressed areas. As we see the position, these areas have at 
present a larger population than the industries carried on in them 
can hope to employ. If we are right, and all the evidence supports 
us, anything which obscures a recognition of this only creates an 
illusion that is bound to lead to bitter disappointment. 
30. In the light of these considerations, apart from other objec- 
tions such as the extra financial burden which would be thrown 
upon local authorities in distressed areas, we should feel unable, 
even if it were practicable to carry out the change within a reason- 
able period of time, to advocate the raising of the school leaving 
age as a contribution to the problem of transfer. In paragraph 65 
we describe measures which will at least go some way to produce 
the same results. 
Pensions for Persons of 60 and over. 
31. This idea has been put forward primarily in connection 
with the coal industry. It has been suggested that workers of 
80 and over might be induced to retire from employment by the 
grant of pensions. Unless, however, such a scheme could be 
financed by the coal industry itself it could not be confined to 
miners, and in fact it seems to us that what would have to be 
envisaged is either a general pension at 60 at the same rate as under 
the present contributory pensions scheme, which might completely 
fail in its purpose of inducing large numbers to retire from employ- 
ment, or the even more costly alternative of a general raising of the 
present pension rate and the lowering of the age qualification. The 
present pensions schemes represent an annual expenditure of 
£47,500,000. The estimated additional annual cost of the first 
alternative (10s. a week for men at 60 and 10s. for a wife) is 
£30,000,000 and of the second alternative (£1 a week for men at 60, 
vith 10s. a week for a wife, payment continuing at this rate for