§ MR. CALDWELL (Glasgow, St. Rollox)asked the Lord Advocate, Whe- 1130 ther, under the terms of the appointment of Dr. Kerr, one of Her Majesty's Chief Inspectors of Schools in Scotland, at a salary of £900 per annum, Dr, Kerr is bound to devote his whole time and attention to the duties of that office; whether he holds any other appointments, or discharges any other duties, public or private, from which he derives emolument or receives remuneration; and, if so, their nature, and the amount of emoluments; whether, before accepting these appointments, or undertaking these offices, the consent of the Scotch Education Department was previously asked and obtained; and, whether the Department has power to grant such authority?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. H. A. MACDONALD) (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities)Whilst Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools are bound, under the terms of their appointment, to devote all the time and attention requisite for the proper discharge of their official duties, they are entitled to a vacation, which they may utilize as they see fit. During the past year the Scotch Education Department has, under the terms of Section 19 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1878, and at the request of the school authorities, assigned to Dr. Kerr a share in the examination of three higher class schools. The days devoted by Dr. Kerr to this work have been charged to "vacation and private business," and not to "official duties." The remuneration to be granted to the examiners for this work is a matter of arrangement between the Department and the school authorities, and has not as yet been fixed. Any other duties which Dr. Kerr may discharge are undertaken during his leisure time, which is at his own disposal.