Mr. ACLANDasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the hope expressed by the last Assembly of the League of Nations that the numerous States who have already approved the principles of the declaration on the teaching of history adopted by the Assembly at its sixteenth session, and 1048W since communicated to Governments by the Council of the League of Nations, will sign that document, the British Government will sign it?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEHis Majesty's Government are in full sympathy with the intention of the declaration, and have so informed the Secretary-General of the League of Nations. Owing to the structure of our educational system, however, they are not in a position to 'adopt the measures provided in the declaration. As the hon. Member is aware, there are over 300 semi-autonomous local education authorities; and neither the Board of Education, nor the local authorities themselves, publish text books, nor employ others to do so. In these circumstances, the procedure laid down in the declaration could not be adopted without an extention of central control, inconsistent with those principles of autonomy which characterise our whole educational system, to which I understand that the Board of Education, the local authorities, and the teachers, alike attach the highest importance.