§ MR. HUNTasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether at a recent examination of a school in Wiltshire the Government Inspector refused to allow the children to sing "God save the Queen," as being contrary to the principles of the 7th section of "The Elementary Education Act, 1870;" and, if so, whether such refusal has the sanction of the Committee of Council on Education?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERSir, in consequence of the information given to me by the right hon. Gentleman, I made inquiries in regard to this ease, which I had not previously heard of. I found that the Government Inspector did think it his duty to prohibit the singing of the National Anthem during the hours for secular education, as being contrary to the Education Act. I need not say that he, like every other Inspector, would, from feelings of loyalty, have had great pleasure in hearing the Anthem sung, but he thought its singing under the circumstances contrary to the Act. The opinion of the Department, however, is that it is not so, and we have informed the Inspector that he laboured under a mistake.