§ SIR WALTER FOSTER (Derby, Ilkeston)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether a representation has been sent from the Royal College of Physicians to the Privy Council respecting the proposed grant of a charter to the Albert University of London; whether the Privy Council has fixed the 22nd instant as the last day to receive objections to the said charter, and the 29th instant as the day for its consideration; and whether, having regard to the fact that the Convocation of London University rejected the scheme for remodelling their University so 897 recently as the 12th ultimo, and that the Royal College of Surgeons has declined to be represented at the Privy Council on the 29th instant on account of the insufficiency of the time allowed, he will obtain a postponement of the time for receiving objections and hearing arguments with regard to a scheme of such great importance to the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, and to the medical profession generally?
§ MR. T. ELLIS (Merionethshire)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the question, I wish to ask if he is aware that the proposed step would very materially affect provincial University Colleges, and whether he will allow them time to obtain a hearing before the Privy Council?
§ *SIR G. HUNTER (Hackney, Central)May I ask if the right hon. Gentleman has not received a second communication signed by the Presidents of the two Royal Colleges after a full meeting of their delegates, protesting against the action of the Lord President in this matter?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir W. HART DYKE,) Kent, DartfordI must ask my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney (Sir G. Hunter) to put his question down upon the Paper. In regard to the question of the hon. Member for Merionethshire (Mr. T. Ellis), I have not yet had time to go into the details, and therefore I am unable to give him an answer. In reply to the question on the Paper, I have to say that a joint representation has been received from the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons asking for an extension of time for lodging their case in the matter of the Petition of University College and King's College for the grant of a charter to establish a Teaching University for London, and they have been informed that it is not desirable that any further delay should take place. The Petition and draft charter have been before the Privy Council and the public for nearly four years, the whole question has been considered and reported on by a Royal Commission, and a month's notice was given to all parties to prepare their cases.
§ *SIR WALTER FOSTERI must remind the right hon. Gentleman that this is a matter which has been going 898 on for many years. I wish to know whether there is any necessity to force this scheme on, seeing that it is one of the last alternatives suggested by the Royal Commission, and whether in the circumstances some delay cannot be sanctioned?
§ MR. T. ELLISIn view of the sudden resurrection of this scheme, is it not possible to fix a later date than the 22nd of August for lodging objections?
§ SIR W. HART DYKEI shall be glad to enter into the matter if the hon. Gentleman will call at the Privy Council Office between 11 and 2 o'clock to-morrow.