§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education if he can state by what law the Education Department was empowered to refuse recently to sanction the engagement by the Leicester School Board of two girls as pupil teachers, because, though otherwise qualified, they were tin vaccinated; whether the Department is aware that vaccination is practically obsolete in the borough of Leicester; and whether the School Board is to be compelled to go outside the borough for its pupil teachers?
§ * THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir W. HART DYKE, KENT,) DartfordEvery candidate for the office of pupil teacher is required by the Code to produce a medical certificate in a form prescribed by the Department. If that certificate, which has now been in use several years, and has been approved by successive Administrations, does not show that the candidate has been successfully vaccinated, it is the practice of the Department to refuse to sanction the engagement, and I know of no reason why an exception should be made in favour of a particular town.
§ Me. PICTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that last year scarcely 2 per cent, of the children horn in Leicester were vaccinated?
§ * SIR W. HART DYKENo representations to the effect have been made to me.