§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether a Petition to Her Majesty in Council, a draft of which was published in July last, purporting to be the Petition of the Royal College of Physicians of London and Royal College of Surgeons of England, praying Her Majesty to giant a Charter to a body composed of representatives of these Royal Colleges, to examine for and confer medical degrees, has yet been presented; whether any caveats have been received, or opposition offered, to the purport of such Petition; whether Petitions to Her Majesty in Council, one presented by University College, London, and King's College, London, conjointly, and one by the Association for Promoting a Teaching University for London, praying for the constitution of a London Teaching University, to confer degrees in Arts, Science, Medicine, and other faculties, have been brought to the notice of Her Majesty's Government; whether any opposition has been offered to the prayer of these Petitions; and, what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take in reference to the prayer of the Petition or Petitions which have been presented?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)No Petition has been presented to the Queen in Council from the Royal College of Physicians of London or the Royal College of Surgeons of England asking for a Charter for a representative body of those Colleges to examine for and confer medical degrees. Caveats have been received in regard to such a Charter from various quarters and from five of the Universities. A Petition to Her Majesty in Council has been received from the University College and King's College, London, conjointly, and also from the Association for Promoting a Teaching University for London in favour of a new University for the London District. The grant of the Charter is opposed by the London University. The Petitions were submitted 263 to the Queen in Council on the 12th of July, and were referred by Her Majesty to a Committee of the Lords of the Council to consider and report thereon. A notice to this effect appeared in The London Gazette of the 15th of July; and it is competent for any persons or bodies interested to petition Her Majesty in Council at any time before the 1st of September, and subsequently the whole question will be considered by the Committee.