§ 42. Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware that schools in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and district are being sent quantities of Communistic literature through the post from Moscow; and if he will inquire into the matter with a view to preventing any distribution of such literature in and through the schools?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Ramsbotham)My Noble Friend is aware that certain schools in Newcastle-upon-Tyne have received from an unknown source unsolicited copies of a Moscow newspaper, but, so far as he is at present aware, this literature has not been distributed in or through the schools. As regards the last part of the question, the local education and school authorities have full powers to give instructions, when necessary, to the head teachers as to the introduction of newspapers and similar matter into the schools in their area, and they can be relied upon to prevent the schools being used as a medium of objectionable propaganda.
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEIs my hon. Friend aware of the extent to which this Bolshevik-Communist propaganda is carried on through the dissemination of a rag called the "Moscow Daily News" and circulated by the million in this country and to schools all over the place?