§ Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will state the amount paid annually by the Government to medical officers in England for inspection of children in schools, and the rates of allowances for the same; and whether the Local Government Board in Ireland are making arrangements to put the same order in force?
568W
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have been asked by my right hon. Friend the President of the Local Government Board to answer this question. Medical officers for the inspection of children in public elementary schools in England and Wales are not paid by the Government, but by the local education authorities who appoint them. Some of these officers are employed in the work of inspecting school children for the whole of their time, and others for part of their time only. There is no uniform rate of payment, and I am afraid I cannot furnish a satisfactory estimate of the total expenditure. Some information as to the school medical service as at present organised in England and Wales will be found in Section 1 of the Report of the chief medical officer of the Board, issued in November last (Cd. 5426). I am unable to furnish a reply to the second part of the question, which should, presumably, be addressed to the Irish Office.