§ MR. HERMON-HODGE (Lancashire, Accrington)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether it is a fact that the parents of children attending elementary schools are frequently forced to purchase the school books from the schoolmasters at a higher price than they can buy them in the shops in the neighbourhood; whether it is also the fact that they are forced to provide new books for each child of their family for each standard, though they already have the books in 474 good condition in their possession, and whether they are so forced by fear of punishment to the children?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT or THE COUNCIL(Sir W. HART DYKE, Kent, Dartford)No case of the kind, to my knowledge, has come under the notice of the Department; but if my hon. Friend will give me the facts upon which his information is based I will have full inquiry made into the circumstances.
§ MR. HERMON-HODGEIs it not desirable that instructions should be given to the Inspectors to inquire into the matter?
§ SIR W. HART DYKEI see no objection.