§ MR. MAURICE HEALYI beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education—(1) whether the question as to the option of teachers in infant schools to use phonetic reading books has ever come before the Committee of Council for decision; and, if so, when, and with what result; (2) whether he can state to what extent the right to use phonetic reading books in infant schools has been availed of by teachers; and (3) whether there is any objection to embody in the Code a statement to the effect that the use of such books in infant schools is permissible?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir JOHN GORST,) Cambridge UniversityThe answer to the first two paragraphs of the hon. Member's question is in the negative. With regard to 937 the third, the Code neither prescribes nor forbids the use of particular books in infant schools; and the Committee of Council are not prepared to make an exception to this practice in the case of phonetic reading books.
§ MR. MAURICE HEALYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman, if this question has never come before the Council; how it is that he was able to inform me last year that pupils presented for examination in these very books would, if they passed, obtain the usual capitation fees?
§ SIR J. GORSTI think the hon. Member has forgotten what I stated to him last year. I said that if such reading books were used, the Committee of Council would make no objection to it.
§ MR. MAURICE HEALYMay I take it, then, that the Council have considered the matter to that extent, and have come to that decision?
§ SIR J. GORSTNo; it has not come before them. That is the decision to which they would come if the matter did come before them.