§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)asked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether the Special Report given at page 101 of the last Education Report, is a sufficient compliance with the requirements of Section 98 of the Education Act viz. that the Department shall cause to be laid before Parliament each year a Special Report, stating their reasons for refusing a grant in each case; whether the Report states the reasons of the Department for each such refusal; whether the statement that "the [School] Board objected," or "the [School] Board and Her Majesty's Inspector considered the School unnecessary," afford to Parliament the reasons of the Department sufficiently to enable Parliament to judge of the fairness or otherwise of the refusal; and, whether he would consent to lay upon the Table an amended Return setting forth in detail the reasons of the Department in each case of refusal?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT (Sir LYON PLAYFAIR) (Leeds, S.)I agree with the hon. Member that there may be improvement in stating the reasons for refusal of a grant, although the substance of the decision can only be given. When, as in the case of the Dan-y-Craig school, the House desires further information, the correspondence on the subject is presented. I believe that the Return at page 101 of the Report legally, though too briefly, complies with the 98th clause of the Act, and I do not think an amended Return is necessary. I have given instructions to state fuller reasons in the next Report.