§ MR. J. GUMMING MACDONA (Southwark, Rotherhithe)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, whether, in accordance with the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Blind, the Deaf Dumb, etc., 1889, special classes have been formed by the School Boards of the United Kingdom for backward children who are unable to profit by the ordinary instruction of an elementary school; and, if not, whether the Education Department propose to take any action in the matter; in the event of such classes being formed, whether imbeciles would be admissible to them; and, what steps the Education Department would require to be. taken to insure none but proper children being admitted to such classes?
§ SIR JOHN GORSTSpecial classes have been formed by some School Boards, notably by the London School Board. The whole matter is under the consideration of the Committee of Council, but they are not yet in a position to say if it would be feasible to introduce legislation on the subject. It would not be proposed to admit imbeciles to such classes.