Dr. RUTHERFORD (Middlesex, Brentford)I beg to ask the President of of the Board of Education whether he is aware of the fact that several foreign Powers cannot see their way to send delegates to the Second International Congress on School Hygiene to be held in London next month unless they receive invitations from His Majesty's Government; and whether, in the interests of international goodwill and also of education, both in this country and throughout the world, His Majesty's Government will issue official invitations, and so ensure the success of the Congress.
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. McKenna, Mon-mouth, N.)No, Sir; I have received no authenticated official information that any foreign Governments have abstained from sending official representatives to the Congress for the reason alleged in the Question. I have verified from official sources that at least one of the principal European Governments in respect of whom the allegation has been made is in fact sending official representatives to the Congress, having apparently felt no difficulty as to the invitation, so that in their case the allegation must be unfounded. I have heard no suggestion, except as part of the allegation above 141 referred to, that any other Governments have felt differently in this respect. As to the last paragraph of the Question, in view of the facts I have ascertained, as above explained, I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave last week to the hon. Member for Leicester. †