§ SIR W. PRIESTLEY (Edinburgh and St. Andrews Universities)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether it is true that in Ipswich and other localities, where previously there had been great opposition to vaccination, the cases of vaccination have notably increased since the passing of the Act of last year, and that many parents who had been persuaded to apply for certificates of exemption have not presented them to the vaccinating officer, but ha-re subsequently had their children vaccinated?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. CHAPLIN, Lincolnshire, Sleaford)There is distinct evidence from reports that have been submitted to me that in a number of localities where previously there had been a great amount of default under the Vaccination Acts the number of vaccinations performed since the new Vaccination Act came into operation on January 1st last has been in excess of that for any corresponding period in recent years. The case of Ipswich, to which my honourable Friend refers, is one in point. There the average quarterly number of vaccinations performed by the Public Vaccinator during 1897 mid 1898 was only 33, whereas in the first quarter of the present year the number vaccinated was 198. It is also true that in certain cases parents, who on the passing of the Act of 1898 obtained certificates of exemption on the ground that they conscientiously believed that vaccination would be prejudicial to the health of their children, have, entirely of their own initiative, procured the vaccination of those children.