§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)To ask the Secretary to the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the report of a special meeting of the Leeds Education Committee, held on Tuesday, April 4th, at which the chairman of the school attendance committee reported that there are 4,047 underfed children in daily attendance at the public schools, of whom 3,371 are children of deserving parents; and whether his Department proposes to take any action in the matter.
(Answered by Sir William Anson.) I have seen a newspaper report of the meeting referred to, but am not in a position to check the accuracy of the figures given. The hon. Member is probably aware that it is in the power of every local education authority to appoint medical inspectors, through whom the condition of the children 910 attending school could be more satisfactorily ascertained than through the reports of teachers.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIETo ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the report of the special meeting of the Leeds Educational Committee on Tuesday last, at which it was officially reported by the chairman of the school attendance committee that over 4,000 children, attend the schools hungry, most of them, the children of deserving parents; and whether his Department proposes taking any action to enable the local board of guardians to assist in providing funds to enable these children to be properly fed.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) I have not seen the report to which the hon. Member refers, nor have I received any information with regard to the matter.