HC Deb 08 May 1888 vol 325 c1622
MR. STANSFELD (Halifax)

asked the Under Secretary of State for India, How soon he will be able to state to the House the steps which Her Majesty's Government are prepared to take to carry out in India the Resolution of this House of March 16, 1886, disapproving of the compulsory examination of women?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.) (who replied) said

The despatch which contained the full Report on this subject, for which the Secretary of State had asked, arrived from India a fortnight ago. The despatch is now before the Secretary of State in Council; and its consideration is proceeding with the utmost expedition consistent with due deliberation on so important a subject. The Under Secretary of State for India has every reason to believe that he will be able to make the statement asked for on Monday next.

Subsequently,

MR. CHILDERS (Edinburgh, S.)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, considering the promise made to the hon. Member for Shoreditch (Mr. James Stuart) yesterday with regard to the sending of a message to India, he would himself undertake that that message should be sent to India?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

I was under the impression that the answer given by my right hon. Friend (Sir James Fergusson) implied that that message had been sent. [Cries of "No!"] But he did not feel himself at liberty to go beyond the precise terms of the answer put into his hands. I will certainly undertake that the message shall be transmitted to India, if it has not been done already; but my belief is that it has been already done.