§ MR. THOMAS ELLIS (Merionethshire)asked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether his attention has been drawn to the statement in the Report of the Departmental Committee on Intermediate and Higher Education in Wales, that,
according to calculations made after the Census of 1871, out of a population of 1,426,514 in Wales and Monmouthshire, no less than 1,006,100 habitually speak Welsh;and, whether, in view of the distinctive national characteristics of Wales, he is willing to reconsider his decision not to publish a separate annual Report on Elementary Education in Wales, in a form and at a price which would make it available to those connected with and interested in the progress of Welsh Education?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT (Sir HENRY HOLLAND) (Hampstead)I am aware of the statement referred to in the first part of the Question. The point raised shall receive consideration; but for the reasons given in my reply on the 6th instant, I am not at present prepared to disturb the arrangement deliberately made by the right hon. Member for Sheffield (MR. Mundella), which has only been in force two years, and has been found to work satisfactorily. The hon. Member will observe that the general Report for 1886–7 will, as a matter of course, contain a Report on Wales, and I will arrange to have a number of copies issued separately in a form that shall be more generally accessible to those interested in Welsh education.