§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL (Paddington, S.)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is correct that Her Majesty's Privy Council has advised Her Majesty to grant a "Supplemental Charter" to the Royal College of Surgeons of England; and, whether the said Charter recognizes, and, if so, to what extent, the claims of the members of the College to take part in the election of, and to representation on the Council of the said College, as embodied, with other requests, in a Petition signed by 4,665 members, and presented to the Privy Council in May, 1887; if not, whether Her Majesty's Ministers will be prepared, at the urgent 1569 request of the members, to recommend Her Majesty to delay the granting of the said Supplemental Charter until such time as a Report from a Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the constitution of the College and the position of its members shall have been received, or until some further investigation shall have been made into the several matters contained in a Petition of the Members to the Privy Council?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)The Lords of the Council have agreed to advise Her Majesty to grant a Supplemental Charter to the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The Charter does not in any way deal with the question of election. The Government do not consider it necessary to recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the constitution of the College, or the postponement of the grant of a Charter, which does not affect any of the questions which have been matters of controversy.
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLgave Notice that, in consequence of the answer of the right hon. Gentleman, he would move that an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying Her Majesty not to grant a Supplemental Charter until such time as a full inquiry had been made into the constitution of the College.