HC Deb 30 January 1913 vol 47 cc1509-10
83. Mr. ROWNTREE

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, as a result of the medical inspection in the elementary schools of England and Wales during recent years, it is possible to estimate the number of children attending these schools who are suffering from the following defects, and the approximate percentage of the whole which these numbers represent: Defective vision, defective hearing, ear disease, adenoids and enlarged tonsils, injurious decay of teeth, unclean bodies, ringworm, tuberculosis, heart disease, and malnutrition?

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Pease)

The latest estimate is to be found in paragraph 314 on page 256 of the Report for 1910 of the Board's Chief Medical Officer [Cd. 5925, of 1911]. I cannot assert that there is as yet any improvement in the condition of the entrants into the schools, but we believe that substantial progress is being made in the case of children who have already come under inspection.

Mr. ARTHUR LYNCH

Could the right hon. Gentleman give the distribution of those diseases as per locality?

Mr. PEASE

There is a great deal of information upon the various localities by way of illustration in the medical officer's Report recently issued. If the hon. Member desires any further information I shall do my best to get it for him.