MR. JOHN MORLEYasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether he proposes, during the present Session, to move for a Select Committee to inquire into the administration of the Endowed Schools Act by the Charity Commission; or whether he proposes to defer the inquiry until the new Parliament?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI was fully prepared to move for a Select Committee to inquire into the operation of the Endowed Schools Acts; but on conferring with several Members who are anxious for inquiry I found them all agreed that an inquiry during the present Session would prove abortive, and that it would be better to postpone it until the first Session of a new Parliament. Under these circumstances, I do not propose to move for a Committee this Session unless it is the general wish of the House that I should do so.
§ MR. JESSE COLLINGSasked if the Charity Commissioners would postpone the completion of any further scheme until the Committee should have reported, or, at least, those schemes such as were proposed for Sutton Coldfield and Horsham—with respect to which it was alleged that the rights of the poorer classes were being taken away in order to provide higher education at a cheap rate for the children of the rich—should be held over?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI said, that it was impossible to arrest the work. The Commissioners would go on completing their schemes. He knew nothing of the schemes until they came before the Education Department. If there were any schemes involving such a question as that alluded to he would think it his duty to suspend them.