HC Deb 13 January 1913 vol 46 cc1683-4
93. Mr. GEORGE GREENWOOD

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the operation of vaccination is performed in the Belmont Road Workhouse, Liverpool, upon boys who have been sent there for detention from the Liverpool and Bootle Police Courts whilst on remand, and without their consent or the consent of their parents; whether the medical officer of the workhouse receives a fee for each of these vaccinations; if so, from what source is such fee derived; what steps are taken to ascertain whether these boys have been vaccinated within the previous ten years; and whether he will give instructions for the immediate discontinuance of the practice, seeing that accused adult persons whilst on remand in His Majesty's prisons are not subjected to revaceination?

Mr. BURNS

I understand that children in the home referred to, including boys sent from the Police Courts while on re- mand, are vaccinated or revaccinated at the discretion of the workhouse medical officer, who receives fees for the operation in accordance with his contract with the guardians. It is the duty of the medical officer to vaccinate such of the children in the institution as require vaccination, and I am informed that no objection has ever been raised to his action. I am suggesting, however, to the guardians that the practice in regard to remand children might in ordinary cases be assimilated to that which obtains with regard to other accused persons on remand.