§ MR. W. P. SINCLAIR (Falkirk, &c.)asked the Lord Advocate, Whether the Government have yet considered the recommendations of the Third Report of the Committee on Education in Scotland; and whether they will be able to propose legislation dealing with secondary education in Scotland this Session; and, should they find that the pressure of other Public Business is so great as to render it impossible to deal with the whole of this question, will they introduce a short measure carrying out the 16th recommendation of the Report (which could be effected by a Bill of only one clause)—namely,
That the Education Department should have power (as it had under 'The Education Act, 1872') to sanction fees above the average of 9d. per week, and if it be held that the power was taken away by the Act of 1876, it should be restored by legislation, but should be used, as hitherto, with reserve?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. H. A. MACDONALD) (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities)The Third Report of the Committee referred to is now under consideration, but the Government cannot undertake to propose legislation dealing with secondary education this Session; nor, in the face of considerable difference of opinion, do they feel able to introduce a measure of the kind indicated in the last paragraph of the Question.