§ MR. HAROLD COXI beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the fact that compulsory education begins at a lower age in England than in any other civilised country; and whether he will consider the desirability, either of amending the existing Law or of recommending to local education authorities that no parent should be prosecuted for keeping his child away from school until the child has attained seven years of age.
§ THE PRESIDENT TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Mr. BIRRELL,) Bristol, N.I have perused the White Paper recently issued by the Board of Education on this subject. I am not prepared to attempt any legislation on the matter of school attendance for the present at all events. As regards the concluding paragraph of the Question, the authorities have a wide discretion, and I do not think it is desirable, while the Law is as it is to put any pressure upon thorn in the direction suggested.