MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS (Notts, Mansfield)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether the States of Guernsey have recently passed a law relating to public primary education which makes the rectors of the parishes ex officio members and Presidents of the School Committees, and provides that the religious instruction in the public elementary schools shall be in conformity with the doctrines of the Anglican Church, and be under the direction of the Ecclesiastical Authority; whether he is aware that the measure was strenuously opposed by the Nonconformists of Guernsey, who have petitioned Her Majesty to cause inquiry to be made into the educational system existing in the Island; whether 1141 the law, before coining into force, must receive the assent of Her Majesty; and whether there is any objection to placing a copy of the law upon the Table of this House?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. ACLAND,) York, W.R., RotherhamFrom inquiries at the Privy Council Office, I have ascertained that Petitions from certain merchants and tradesmen of the Island, from the Committee elected to represent the Protestant Nonconformists of the Island, and from the Presidents of a Committee named by the ratepayers of the town and parish of St. Peter's Port, have been presented against the law stated in the Petitions to have been passed by the States of Guernsey relating to public primary education in the Island. The law referred to has not, as yet, been received at the Council Office. Such a law, like other permanent laws of the Island, must receive the assent of Her Majesty in Council, but no precedent can be found for laying a copy of the law upon the Table of the House, even if it had been received.
§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)Is it not a fact that the States of Guernsey have a perfect right to pass laws in favour of denominational education?
§ MR. ACLANDYes; but the law must receive the assent of Her Majesty.