HC Deb 18 August 1911 vol 29 cc2276-7W
Mr. CROOKS

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has made further inquiries into the case of Mr. Hayzen, whose children were refused admission to the King and Queen Street school; whether he is aware that the London County Council representatives at the prosecution of Mr. Hayzen stated that the reason for the exclusion of the children was not because the children were verminous, but the refusal of the parents to allow inspection under the Children Act, 1908; whether the London County Council have power to exclude children solely on account of refusal to allow inspection; and whether, seeing that under the Children Act that twenty-four hours' notice must be given parents to cleanse verminous children before further action can be taken, he will say if such notice was given Mr. Hayzen; and whether he will cause an inquiry into this case to establish why these children were excluded?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With reference to the second part of the question, I have made inquiries at the offices of the local education authority and am told that the information on this point furnished to me from the same source and embodied in the reply given to my hon. Friend on the 13th July was correct. With regard to the third part of the question, I have no authority to interpret the law on this point; but Section 122 of the Children Act appears to give an absolute power to a properly accredited officer of the local education authority to examine the person and clothing of any child attending a public elementary school in the area of the authority. With regard to the fourth part of the question, I am informed by the local education authority that Mr. Hayzen was given the opportunity of presenting a medical certificate that the children were free from vermin as an alternative to having them examined, and refused to present any such certificate. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative. The case has already been dealt with by the magistrates.