HC Deb 02 May 1906 vol 156 cc560-1
MR. J. RAMSAY MACDONALD

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if he is now in a position to state whether he can allow local education authorities to use their discretion regarding the vaccination of teachers.

MR. BIRRELL

I am proposing to insert in the Board's Regulations a provision under which vaccination will not, so far as the Board are concerned, be required of any intending teacher who may state to the Board when applying for recognition that he has conscientious objections to being vaccinated. It will † See Col. 246. rest with the local authority to decide in each case whether they shall employ such a teacher. The Board will keep a record of any teachers who have not been vaccinated.

MR. ADKINS (Lancashire, Middleton)

asked whether the same discretion would be given to local authorities in respect of pupil teachers entering training colleges within the area of such authorities.

MR. BIRRELL

said he thought that was the intention.

MR. ARNOLD-FORSTER (Croydon)

Does a similar discretion exist in any other civilised country in the world?

MR. BIRRELL

I am not a judge of civilisation.