§ * MR. J. M. WHITE (Forfarshire)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate, whether he can state the total amount of Residue Grant, available for technical education in Scotland, paid in each of the last three years from the Probate Duties Grant, as provided under The Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889, 566 amended as to the last year's grant by The Finance Act, 1894, and under The Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act, 1890, and the cause of the great diminution this year; and, whether, in view of the great injury done with regard to technical, especially agricultural, instruction by the reduction and uncertainty of the grant, the Government will provide a supplementary Estimate to make good the deficiency, and will make, by legislation or otherwise, permanent provision for the future.
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATEI assume that this question relates to what is commonly known as the Residue Grant under the Act of 1890. I find that the figures during the last three years are as follows:—1892–3, £54,311; 1893–4, £54,430; 1894–5, £39,400. The decrease in the last year is due partly to the diminished amount of Customs and Excise duties transferred to the account, and partly to prior charges defrayed from the account under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1890. The whole arrangements being statutory, it would not be appropriate to present a Supplementary Estimate on the subject. In suggesting that these arrangements should be re-cast with the view of stereotyping the amount available for technical instruction, the hon. Member raises a large question, upon which I am not prepared at present to offer an opinion.