§ Mr. APSLEY PELLATTsaid, he wished to ask the noble Lord the Member for the City of London, what sum was included in the aggregate Vote of 281,765l. for public education in Great Britain for establishing new schools in towns where no town councils exist, in conformity with the Minute of Council; whether the sum so voted for this special object would be expended during the suspension of the proposed Education Bill? Also, in the event of that Bill being ultimately wholly withdrawn, whether the Minute of Council in question would be rescinded, and the money deducted from the current year's educational grant, thereby reducing the large excess of 100,000l.. as compared with the expenditure of 1852?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLsaid, that so far as regarded that portion of the Minute which applied to places having town councils, no money would be expended; but with respect to the establishment of schools in towns where no town council existed, he had to state that it was the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, that, where cases of that kind occurred, and were brought before the Members of the Committee of the Privy Council, grants ought to be made in conformity with the Minute. With reference to the question whether, in the event of the Education Bill being withdrawn, the Minute of Council would be rescinded, that was of course a matter for consideration hereafter, and he could not at present afford any information on the subject to the hon. Gentleman. He could not say how much of the whole sum granted for public education would be expended in the establishment of new schools in towns where no town council existed. The estimates were merely conjectural, and a great deal would depend upon the number of applications which might be made. However, there was to be a meeting of the Educational Committee of the Privy Council to-morrow, when the whole subject would probably be discussed and determined upon.