§ 79. Mrs. Tateasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that many vaccination officers refuse to accept any signature other than that of a child's father as a conscientious objector to vaccination; and whether he will issue instructions to courts and vaccination officers that the signature of either parent should be accepted as sufficient?
§ Mr. ElliotUnder the Vaccination Acts the obligation to cause a child to be vaccinated is placed on the "parent or person having the custody of" the child, and I am advised that a declaration of conscientious objection to vaccination made by the mother would not relieve the father of this obligation if he has the legal custody of the child.
§ Mrs. TateIs my right hon. Friend aware that in cases where the father and mother are separated and the mother goes to the court with the order signed, the vaccination officer very often returns it to the magistrates and insists upon the father's signature? Will my right hon. Friend notify to the courts that that should not be necessary?
§ Mr. ElliotI should not like to take the responsibility of stating what should or should not be done in regard to the courts without getting the advice of important and responsible people.
§ Mr. MuffIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the cases enumerated by the hon. Lady, certain courts exercise that reasonable discretion?