HC Deb 03 August 1854 vol 135 cc1284-6

Order read, for resuming adjourned Debate on Amendment proposed to Question [22nd July], "That the Bill be now read the third time;" and which Amendment was to leave out the word "now," and at the end of the Question to add the words "upon this day three months."

Question again proposed, "That the word 'now' stand part of the Question."

Debate resumed.

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, he hoped the hon. and gallant Gentleman who had charge of this Bill (Colonel Dunne), considering the late period of the Session and the nature of the measure itself, would allow it to drop. Her Majesty's Government intended to take up the general question at the commencement of the next Session, when he thought either a Commission or a Committee ought to be appointed, consisting in either case of gentlemen not belonging to the medical profession; and on the result of their inquiries some general measure might be framed, satisfactory to the wants of the profession and the interests of the community at large. The House, therefore, would agree with him that it would be scarcely advisable to lose time in discussing a Bill which had no chance of passing this Session.

COLONEL DUNNE

said, he had, of course, at this period of the Session, no alternative but to comply with the request of the noble Lord. He was glad to hear that the Government meant to take up the subject, for he felt sure that if it were left to medical men it would be a long time before it was settled. His (Colonel Dunne's) object was to place the Irish and Scotch Universities on the same footing, with respect to medical degrees, as the University of London.

Question put, and negatived; Words added; Main Question, as amended, put and agreed to.

Bill put off for three months.

MR. WALPOLE

entreated the noble Lord the Home Secretary not to consider the passing of the Medical Graduates (University of London) Bill as a pledge on the part of Parliament, that in considering the question the University of London was to have the power of conferring degrees with the consequential licence that followed from those degrees. That question was left open.

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

considered the object of the Bill referred to was simply to place the degrees of the University of London upon the same footing as those of Oxford and Cambridge. Parliament dis- tinctly understood that the whole question was left open.