§ Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERYasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that, on the 3rd De- 434 cember last, the head teacher of the British Boys' School, Market Hill, Maldon, used for dictation exercises the following words, namely: "Freedom of trade and the vast increase in our commerce have enabled the working man…with cheap and varied food. No longer is he restricted to the products of his own country"; and again: "Mr. Asquith had first to deal with the immediate financial crisis created by the action of the Peers; he had secondly to answer the challenge so audaciously thrown down by them on the constitutional issue. In neither case did his reply fall short of the occasion. It was as conspicuously abundant in fairness and decision of purpose as in splendour and dignity of phrase"; whether the Education Department sanctions the ratepayers' money being used for instilling partisan politics into the minds of school children; and whether he will give instructions that the practice shall be discontinued?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have no information on this point beyond that conveyed by the question. With regard to the general inquiry contained in the last paragraph but one of the question, I may refer the hon. Member to an answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich on 7th March.