§ MR. WALKER (Leicestershire, Melton)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, seeing that the Vaccination (Scotland) Act, 1007, enables parents to avail themselves of its provisions whatever the age of their children may be, whereas the Vaccination Act, 1007, is not retrospective, he will introduce a measure to assimilate the law in England and Wales to that in Scotland.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. JOHN BURNS, Battersea)The circumstances in relation to this matter were not the Same in the two countries under the Vaccination Acts in force prior to the legislation of last session. In England, as my hon. friend is aware, a parent could obtain exemption from penalties for not having his child vaccinated if he satisfied two justices or a magistrate that he conscientiously believed that vaccination would be prejudicial to the health of the child. There was no such provision in force in Scotland. Hence when exemption on the ground of conscientious objection was allowed by the Scottish Act of last year, it was necessary to provide for the case of children born before the passing of the Act; but there was no similar need as regards England. In future in both countries a parent will only obtain exemption if he makes the requisite statutory declaration within a prescribed period after the birth of the child. It does not appear to me necessary to introduce a Bill on this subject.