§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGE (Carnarvon)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether any, and, if so, what, Petitions have been presented to the Privy Council against the Carnarvonshire Intermediate Education Scheme, framed under the Intermediate Education Act for Wales, 1889; for how long this scheme has been under preparation and public discussion in the county; whether it has been approved by the County Council; and what delay will be involved by such Petitions, if any, before the work of building the Intermediate Schools for the county can be begun?
§ MR. ACLANDThe Carnarvonshire scheme is the first county scheme in Wales which has passed through all the necessary stages under the Intermediate Education Act of 1889, and it is, therefore, a case of some interest. The County Council provides under it a sum of from £3,000 to £4,000 a year for the support of the schools, and it is probable that about four or five Intermediate Schools will be erected at once in the county under the scheme, and possibly others later on. The scheme might have become law yesterday if it had not been for the presentation of three Petitions to the Education Department. Two of these are forwarded by the Bishop of Bangor, and one by Mr. Morgan Jones. One is signed by seven Trustees of Bottwnog School. There is no evidence to show whether this Petition was adopted at a duly constituted meeting of the Governors. But there are two other Petitions, one signed by 26 ratepayers of Bangor, and the other by 31 ratepayers of Bangor, alleging grievances in connection with Friar's School, Bangor. It should be noted that the Governors of this school have presented no Petition. This county scheme has been under preparation by the Joint Committee (consisting of two 1050 members named by the late Government and three by the County Council), and under public discussions arranged by the committee in different parts of the county for more than three years. It was discussed clause by clause in the County Council and approved. The delay involved by the Petitions will vary according to circumstances. In any case, the scheme must now be delayed for two more mouths. Should an Address be carried in either House praying Her Majesty to withhold consent from the scheme, the procedure must be begun over again from the beginning, and this would probably take not less than two years.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEAre any copies of the scheme available for Welsh Members?
§ MR. ACLANDI shall be happy to give hon. Gentlemen copies.