HC Deb 23 April 1861 vol 162 cc983-5
MR. GRANT DUFF

said, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is the intention of the Government to grant an inquiry into the state, discipline, studies, and revenues of the schools, commonly called Public Schools, as well as of those Endowed Schools in which the Latin and Greek languages are taught; and whether he would object to state generally what steps the Government means to take in the matter?

SIR GEORGE LEWIS

, in reply, stated that Parliament had already recognized a difference of principle with respect to places of education which enjoyed endowments created by founders in former times, and proprietary or private schools which did not possess such endowments. Places of education of the former kind had been treated as subject to the supervision both of Parliament and of the Government, Royal Commissions had been issued for inquiring into the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and there bad also been subsequent legislation with respect to those Universities. The principal class of endowed schools had likewise been brought under the jurisdiction of Parliament, and especially of the Charity Commissioners, whose powers were created by Act of Parliament. Under these circumstances the Government could not refuse to recognize the public endowed schools of England as a fitting subject for a public inquiry; and they were not unfavourable to the principle of such an inquiry as the hon. Member had indicated in his question—namely, an inquiry into the public endowed schools in which the Latin and Greek languages are taught. But a further question arose with respect to the manner in which that inquiry should be conducted; whether it would be most conveniently and efficiently conducted by means of a Royal Commission, or through some other machinery—for example, under the authority of an Act which might be passed by Parliament. Before the Government came to a final conclusion upon that point they were desirous of communicating with the heads and managers of the principal public schools, for it was clear that such an inquiry would be most effectively conducted if it were carried on in an amicable spirit with respect to these great foundations, and therefore he would ask the hon. Member to consider whether he would not postpone for a short time the Motion of which he had given notice for that evening, in order to enable the Government to communicate with the heads of public schools in the manner he had described?

SIR WILLIAM HEATHCOTE

said, that seeing that Winchester College had been already dealt with under the Act relating to the University of Oxford—an Act which empowered the Commissioners to treat it as one of the Colleges of Oxford for the purposes of the Act; seeing that the Commissioners had issued an Ordinance revising the whole Statutes of the College, and seeing that the College was now engaged in carrying into effect the new regulations so made by the Commissioners, he would beg to ask the Home Secretary, whether he be disposed to exempt it from any inquiry which might be contemplated by the Government?

SIR GEORGE LEWIS

said, he had been partially aware of the facts stated by the hon. Baronet, but one of the objects which he had, in suggesting to the hon. Member for Elgin (Mr. G. Duff) the propriety of postponing his Motion, was that he might be able to ascertain more exactly the nature of the regulations which had been issued at Winchester, and whether it would be desirable that any special exemption should be made in the case of that or any other public or endowed school which might recently have been subjected to an inquiry conducted under the authority of Parliament.

MR. GRANT DUFF

said, he would postpone until that day week the Motion which stood in his name for that evening.