§ MR. BRADLAUGHasked the President of the Local Government Board whether it is intended that it shall be open, under the terms of the proposed Royal Commission on Vaccination, to investigate the history and scientific foundation of vaccination, and to question whether compulsion by law to vaccination is justifiable?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. RITCHIE,) Tower Hamlets, St. George'sI suspect that the question is not so much one of what was the intention of the Government, as what are the terms of the reference to the Royal Commission, and what the reference includes. The Government have always been desirous that the terms of the reference should be wide enough to include all aspects of this case. I have read the terms of the reference to the House, and I understand that those who are interested are satisfied that they are sufficiently wide. As to whether they include the particular point of the hon. Gentleman, he is as well able to judge as I am.
§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)Will the right hon. Gentleman confirm what I understood him to say yesterday that there will be a full inquiry into the whole question of compulsion?
§ *MR. RITCHIEMy view is that the Commission will be able to consider the whole question, but there are other matters of a technical character which have been referred to by the hon. Member for Northampton, about which there may be some doubt.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHI will only remind the right hon. Gentlemen that an opinion expressed by him must have more authority than any assumption of mine.
§ *MR. RITCHIEI expect that upon questions of opinion the Commission will have more authority than I can possess.