86. Major McKENZIE WOODasked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health the conditions upon which a pupil can claim as of right entrance to an intermediate or secondary school without payment of fees, in terms of Section 6 (1) (a) of The Education (Scotland) Act, 1918?
§ Captain ELLIOTThe answer can only be in the negative. The Sub-section mentioned does not define the right of the pupil. What it does is to impose an obligation upon the Education Authority. I have already had an opportunity of informing the hon. Member that, whilst my Noble Friend has no reason to believe that the obligation is not being properly discharged, he will gladly consider any evidence to the contrary with which the hon. Member is good enough to supply him.
Major WOODCan the hon. and gallant Gentleman answer the question I put to him before, namely, whether he considers that the education authorities in Scotland are carrying out the law as laid down in this Section?
§ Captain ELLIOTI think the previous answer was to the effect that our attention had not been drawn to the case of any authority that was not carrying out the law according to this Section.
Major WOODIs it not the duty of Board's inspectors to draw the attention of the Department to any breaches of the law, have they done so, and have they been asked to do so?
§ Captain ELLIOTIt is the duty of anyone who observes a breach of the law to draw the attention of the responsible authorities to it, and I can only say we have repeatedly invited the hon. and gallant Member himself to draw our attention to any cases of breaches of the law.