§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, he wished to put a Question to the noble Lord at the head of the Government, of which he had given private notice, with regard to his intentions touching the further progress of the Education Debate, Whether, considering the fact that the changes in the Revised Code were only placed on the table on the night the House adjourned, and there had been no fair opportunity of duly considering them, and considering the wish on both sides of the House that this long-pending question should be brought to a settlement satisfactory to the country, the noble Lord has any objection to meet that wish by postponing the further consideration of the Education Code to a later day than Monday next.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONSir, in answer to the right hon. Baronet, I have to state that the last modifications in the Educational Code were announced on Friday, the 28th of March; they were laid on the table on the 11th of April, and were in the hands of Members on the 12th; while on the 1st of April it was settled that the discussion was to be resumed on the 5th of May. We are now at the beginning of May; considerable time has elapsed since the whole of the modifications in the scheme in a printed form were placed in the hands of hon. Members. Considering, therefore, the state of business, and various other things which are 1129 urgent, as well as the period of the Session, if the right hon. Baronet means by his question to ask whether we will give up another Government day, I am afraid I must be obliged to say I do not think we can afford to do so. But he will remember that this is not a Motion on our part. It proceeds from the right hon. Gentleman on the other side of the House. It is not, therefore, within our domain to state when it should come on; but if it does not come on on Monday, we cannot undertake to furnish another Government night for the discussion. It will then be for the right hon. Gentleman, in concert with those who have precedence on other nights, to choose his own opportunity. With reference to the question of my hon. and gallant Friend (Colonel W. Patten), I am afraid it would he impossible to enter on the long discussion fixed for Monday with anything like a chance of overtaking the subject to which he refers. I can only say that, as far as we are concerned, the arrangement must remain as it now stands, and the debate on Education will be taken on Monday. Some other night must therefore be fixed for the other question.