11. Dr. VERNON DAVIESasked the President of the Board of Education if the appointment of the 15 secretaries to the school medical officers by the Lancashire Education Authority has led to any increase in the number of children examined at each session compared with the number examined previous to these appointments; and, if so, what is the increase?
§ The MINISTER of EDUCATION (Lord Eustace Percy)If my hon. Friend will refer to the previous replies which I have given him on this subject, he will see that the primary object of the arrangement adopted by the Lancashire Authority is not to enable a larger number of children to be examined by the medical officers at each session, but to expedite the necessary clerical work connected with the school medical service. I understand, however, that, in fact, the number of children examined per session has increased by about 33 per cent. during the last few years, and that, 1000 in the opinion of the authority, if the clerical work were undertaken by the school nurses, the number of children dealt with by the existing medical staff would be reduced.
Dr. DAVIESWill the Noble Lord convey this information to education authorities in other parts of the country, so that they may avail themselves of this method?
§ Lord E. PERCYI am quite sure my hon. Friend's repeated questions will be sufficient.