§ MR. EWART, pursuant to notice, wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Her Majesty's Government were willing to cause to he made, through a Minister of the Crown, on going into the Education Estimates, a statement of the condition and progress of education, so far as it came under the administration of the Government and within the supplies voted by Parliament, including national institutions connected with art or science, training schools, schools of design, public libraries, and similar institutions, conformably with the promise made by the late Sir Robert Peel during his administration? He was much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman the Home Secretary, for the statement he had made on the subject last year and the year before, but he thought they should have some more detailed explanation on the subject.
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLhad no knowledge of any such promise having been made by the late Sir Robert Peel, and certainly no such statement had been made while that right lion. Baronet was at the head of the Government. He had previously understood that all his hon. Friend (Mr. Ewart) wanted was an explanation as to the general disposal and arrangement of the Education Vote, and that had been given in each of the last two years by his right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, as he (Lord J. Russell) had thought, in conformity with his hon. Friend's wish. He would consider whether any further statement could be made with regard to the schools of design, or any other matter in respect to which it was proposed to ask for a distinct vote in the estimates; but he thought it would be very inexpedient for a Minister to make any general statement on education beyond those particular objects for which a vote of public money was asked. With regard, however, to the state of progress that had been made in the last year in respect to these schools, he would endeavour to meet his hon. Friend's wishes as far as possible. He hoped this answer would be considered satisfactory.
§ MR. HUMEperfectly well remembered the late Sir Robert Peel saying that whenever any grant for educational purposes was proposed, it would be the duty of the department to make a report similar to that 556 which was made annually in regard to the British Museum; and he (Mr. Hume) knew of nothing more important than that they should have a statement made each year of the progress which had been made by means of the previous year's vote. It was quite true they had the Minutes of the Committee of Education of the Privy Council, but these did not convey all the information the public required. They had a right to know what progress was made, and whether the management of the grant had been effective for carrying out the purpose for which it was made. He had spoken last night to the right hon. Member for Dovor (Sir G. Clerk), who also recollected the promise made by Sir Robert Peel; and he thought he might also appeal to the hon. Member for Liverpool to confirm him in the correctness of his memory in that respect.
§ MR. CARDWELLhad a perfect recollection of the occurrence to which the hon. Member alluded, and which took place in a debate on the Miscellaneous Estimates in the year 1846. The circumstances, as he remembered them, were these: a promise was made, in answer to an appeal from his hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Mr. Ewart) to the late Sir Robert Peel, that when the vote in question was brought forward, some Member of the Cabinet should state in a full and comprehensive manner the mode in which the previous grant had been disposed of—what had been done, and what were the intentions of the Cabinet for the future; and, so far as his memory served, he thought that had been done last year by the right hon. Baronet (Sir G. Grey). With regard, however, to the promise having been made, his impression entirely coincided with that of his hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREsaid, that an account and an explanation in regard to the schools of design were regularly given; but he doubted whether it would be expedient to take the opportunity of the Vote for those schools, to go into the general question of Education, or to make any statement upon it. An annual account was presented to Parliament of all that took place with regard to those schools of design during the past year; and that he considered to be a far more satisfactory way of giving information than any statement made by a Minister in that House. Of course there would always be present the Member of the Government who was responsible for the administration of the vote, 557 to give any explanations that might be demanded.
§ MR. MOWATTconsidered that what was wanted was, not a mere dry official report, which might escape the attention of hundreds; but that a Minister of the Crown should state to the House what had been done in the last year, and what was contemplated for the future.
§ Subject dropped.