HC Deb 24 May 1927 vol 206 cc1834-6
58. Lieut.-Colonel Sir GODFREY DALRYMPLE-WHITE

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the fact that an invitation has been received from the Second Congress of the Moscow Pioneers (Russian Red Scouts League) for six working-class children to pay a month's visit in June to Moscow to study Soviet institutions; whether the children selected are of school age; and whether, in that event, any special facilities to leave school will be afforded to them?

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Lord Eustace Percy)

I have seen reports to this effect in the Press. I gather from these reports that the children referred to are of school age. There is no question of special facilities for their leaving school being afforded by my Department, and I cannot believe that such facilities would be afforded by any local authority. It is for the local authority to decide whether in any particular case the parent of the child should be prosecuted for the child's non-attendance at school.

Mr. ALBERY

Can the Noble Lord say to whom this communication has been addressed?

Lord E. PERCY

I do not know.

Miss WILKINSON

May I ask whether, in the case of children of upper-class parents, any special permission is needed if those parents decide to go abroad for a month during term time?

Lord E. PERCY

I do not know whether the hon. Lady is proposing the abolition of the law of school attendance.

Miss WILKINSON

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will be so good as to reply to the question that I asked him, and not answer questions which I did not ask him?

HON. MEMBERS

Answer !

Sir BASIL PETO

Does this apply to children who are of school age, and, if so, does my Noble Friend think they will derive more benefit from a visit to Soviet Russia than from the ordinary curriculum of our elementary schools?

Lord E. PERCY

I think both the question and my answer show that the children would be of school age.

Mr. BUCHANAN

Are the same steps taken in the case of rich parents as are suggested should be taken in the case of the parents of poor children; and am I to understand that rich parents will be punished in the same way as poor parents?

Lord E. PERCY

I have suggested no action, but I often receive long representations from hon. Members opposite and from other people in favour of preventing the children of poor parents from going to work before they are 14. If I am to prosecute parents for that, I do not see why a local authority in its discretion, if it thinks fit to do so, should not prosecute a parent for the nonattendance of a child due to a visit to Russia. In other words, I do not think that a visit to Russia confers any special immunity under the school attendance law.

Mr. ALBERY

Is it in order for the Noble Lord to answer questions on this subject, in view of the fact that he has no knowledge that any such invitation has, in fact, been issued?

Mr. SPEAKER

The only supplementary questions that ought to be answered are those arising out of the question on the Paper.