§ MR. BELL (Derby)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether he is aware that Dr. Johnson, one of the Local Government Board inspectors, has instructed the vaccination officer of the Derby Union to recommence prosecutions under the Vaccination Acts; whether he is aware that there are between 25,000 and 30,000 children unvaccinated in Derby, and if the parents of all those will also be prosecuted, and, if so, will those of the longest standing be proceeded against first and continued on in 1157 that order; and whether Dr. Johnson's action has the sanction of the Local Government Board.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSA new vaccination officer has recently been appointed at Derby, and Dr. Johnson acted properly in advising him as to his duties, one of which is to take all reasonable steps to put the Vaccination Acts in force. I am aware that there are large number of unvaccinated children in Derby. It is not contemplated that proceedings will have to be taken in all these cases. I understand that Dr. Johnson told the vaccination officer that he should use all possible means of persuasion to induce parents to comply with the law, and that if this failed, he should institute proceedings in a limited number of cases with a view to securing its observance. The selection of the cases would rest with the vaccination officer.