§ MR. HAROLD COXI beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the recommendation of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Physical Deterioration that school attendance in rural districts should not be compulsory till the age of six, or possibly seven, and should be discouraged, if not absolutely prohibited under five; and whether he proposes to take any steps to give effect to this recommendation.
§ MR. BIRRELLAs at present advised the Government have no intention of prohibiting the attendance of children under five years of age in rural districts. The question of requiring the attendance of such children or not rests with the option of the local education authorities.
§ MR. HAROLD COXMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will discourage local authorities from permitting children under five to attend school?
§ MR. BIRRELLI am rather shy of any interference with local authorities.