§ MR. BOWLES (Lambeth, Norwood)To ask the President of the Board of Education whether he has now made inquiry into the action of the Willesden Education Committee in ordering the fortnightly prosecution of William Barnard of that place until he consents to inflict what he holds to be a permanent injury upon his son, aged fourteen, by forcing him to attend a certain school for mentally-deficient children in the district; whether the Education Committee is under any statutory obligation to order fortnightly prosecutions in this case; and, if not, whether, seeing that the father, whose wages are 25s. a week, has already been fined £4 since last May at the instance of this Committee, he can take any steps to recommend them to mitigate the severity of their action in this matter, and so protect this man from complete financial ruin.
(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I am making inquiries of the local education authority, and when I receive a reply I will communicate with the hon. Member.