§ SIR JAMES FERGUSSON (Manchester, N. E.)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education—(1) whether the Acting Inspectors of Drawing, under the Science and Art Department, have received 784 notice to terminate their engagements, and will be retired without compensation for loss of employment; (2) what are the reasons which have led to this general measure; (3) whether there will be an increased or a lessened charge to the public by the appointment of permanent officers instead; and (4) whether it is the case that some of the Acting Inspectors in question, though only appointed from year to year, had been required to reside in the districts in which they were employed?
§ THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir JOHN GORST,) Cambridge UniversityThe answer to the first paragraph of the right hon. Gentleman's question is in the affirmative. The arrangement was made before the present Government came into office. The reason which led to this general measure was the desire to substitute permanent for temporary officers. The charge to the public will be considerably lessened for some time to come. It was a condition of the appointment of the temporary local Inspectors that they should reside in the district in which they were employed.