§ MR. SEYMOUR ORMSBY-GORE (Lincolnshire, Gainsborough)To ask the President of the Local Government Board, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that officers of the Local Government Board have directed prosecutions to be instituted against persons for non-compliance with the Vaccination Act of 1898 in the town of Gainsborough, and that these proceedings have been taken without previous consultation with the board of guardians; and whether, seeing that the board of guardians have decided not to prosecute cases coming within the Act, he will state what steps he proposes to take in the matter.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) A medical inspector of my Department pointed out to the vaccination officers that it was their duty under the Vaccination Acts to take proceedings in cases of 758 default, but he did not direct prosecutions to be instituted. As regards the last part of the Question I do not propose to take any steps in the matter. It has been decided by the High Court that a vaccination officer is empowered to take proceedings of the kind referred to notwithstanding directions from the guardians not to prosecute.