§ LORD NORTONasked the Lord President of the Council, Whether it is decided what grants are to be made to colleges in Wales; and to how many; and whether any like grants of public 821 money for middle-class education are proposed to be made in England?
§ LORD CARLINGFORD (LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL),in reply, said, that the grants voted by Parliament to the Welsh Colleges amounted to£10,500. This sum was divided into three sums—-£4,000 a-year going to each of the two Colleges which had happily been founded in North and South Wales, and £2,500 a-year to the College founded some years ago at Aberystwith. No like grants of public money were in contemplation for England. They did not appear to be needed. The noble Lord would remember that a very important inquiry into Welsh Higher and Intermediate Education was made some years ago by a Committee presided over by his noble Friend Lord Aberdare, upon the Report of which the grants referred to were made. But these Colleges were Colleges for higher education. The subject of intermediate education, upon which there were most valuable recommendations in the same Report, had not yet been dealt with by the Government. He hoped it would be dealt with in the course of the present Session by a Bill, which he would, he trusted, have the pleasure of introducing to this House before the Session closed. It would be for the purpose of providing greater facilities for intermediate education in Wales. As to the distinction to be drawn between England and Wales in this matter, it seemed a very obvious one. Wales was a far poorer country than England, and it was, at the same time, relatively far more poorly provided with educational endownments; and it appeared to the Government and to the other House of Parliament that the case which Wales had to show for some assistance in the matter of higher and intermediate education was at least as strong as the case of Scotland or of Ireland.