§ MR. LYON PLAYFAIRasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, Whether the Education Department intend to carry out the 20th section of "The Education (Scotland) Act, 1878," by which the Scotch Education Department is empowered to make provision for the examination of higher class public schools?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONThe Scotch Education Department were prepared to undertake the examination of higher class public schools in those cases where the school boards having the management of such schools desired that they should do so. They found, to their regret, that the Treasury, in view 928 of the recent rapid growth of the Education Votes for the United Kingdom, were unwilling to allow them to take a Vote for the purpose of meeting charges which, under the Act of 1872, were thrown upon the local rates. We have, therefore, asked the school boards whether they will defray the cost of the examination from the rates? One or two boards have expressed their willingness to do so, and we will endeavour to meet the wishes of those boards.