§ 60. Mr. HAYESasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that a school medical officer of the 869 Liverpool education authority performed a surgical operation on a scholar named James Thomas Cheetham, aged 13, in school, without the parents' permission, using a pair of ordinary non-surgical scissors, iodoform gauze, common soap, stitching the wound with ordinary needle and sewing cotton, and that the boy died three days later; whether there has been any breach of the regulations, and, if so, to what extent; and whether, in view of the distressed circumstances of these working-class parents, mentally and financially, consideration is being given to the question of a generous grant from public funds?
§ 65. Sir JOHN PENNEFATHERasked the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been called to a case in Liverpool where a boy of 13 died three days after a school medical officer had performed an operation upon him in the school; if so, has he inquired or will he inquire whether the death of this boy can be attributed to the operation; and, in that case, whether his Department assumes responsibility for the payment of proper compensation to the parents?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Lord Eustace Percy)I am aware of the occurrence referred to, which I deeply deplore. At the coroner's inquest the jury, after hearing the medical evidence, found that the boy's death was due to septicemia from a wound on the finger, and was in no way connected with the operation. The performance of this operation appears to have been a contravention of the local authority's instructions to their school medical officers and of the practice of the school medical service.
§ Mr. HAYESMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman how far the responsibility of the local education authority stands in respect of the operation that was performed on this child during the time he was under the control of the education committee?
§ Lord E. PERCYI do not know whether the hon. Member is referring to legal responsibility or moral responsibility, but I cannot give a legal opinion on that matter.
§ Mr. HAYESIf there is no legal responsibility, and even if there is, would it not be far handsomer if this 870 matter could be approached in the ex gratia spirit of a grant, and may I ask the right hon. Gentleman how far he will undertake to inquire into this matter, and to see whether an ex gratiagrant can be made from public funds?
§ Lord E. PERCYSo far as I am concerned, I have no power, I am advised, to make any grant. I must leave the other matter to the local authority.
§ Mr. HAYESIf the Noble Lord has no power to make any grant, may I ask if he will do his very utmost to make representations to the local education authority, which, I am sure, if representations were received from him, would give consideration to this question in a very generous manner, if the Noble Lord allowed them to do so?
§ Lord E. PERCYI really think this is a matter that I must leave to the local education authority, who are as much impressed with the importance of the matter as I am.
§ Mr. HAYESMay I ask the President of the Board whether, in the event of the local education authority giving generous consideration to this matter, he will approve of their policy?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a hypothetical question