§ DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)asked the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether it is his intention to direct that school inspectors should in future be medically trained, so as to enable them to fulfil their new duties of detecting defects of vision in young children; and, if their Reports show that short sight is on the increase, what steps the Department will take to check the progress of an infirmity which must seriously hamper the future usefulness of our industrial population?
§ *THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir W. HART DYKE,) Kent, DartfordIt was not included in my promise the other day that none but trained oculists should in future be employed as inspectors; but when we have collected reliable information on the subject, care will be taken to acquaint the House with the steps it is proposed to take.
§ DR. FARQUHARSONThe matter is really one of national importance. Will the Government consider the propriety of appointing a small Departmental Committee to inquire into it?
§ *SIR W. HART DYKEI fully admit the importance of the matter, and the inspectors will devote very careful consideration to it.
§ DR. FARQUHARSONBut the inspectors are not medical men.