§ MR. KNOXI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Board of National Education in Ireland, in any and what cases asked that the Irish fee grant should be nine-eightieths of the English grant, and were refused by the Treasury?
§ MR. HANBURYI have already informed the hon. Member, in reply to a Question put by him on the 11th June, that in the last half of 1894–5, or in 1895–6, the National Education Board made two requests, viz.: (1) for nine-eightieths of the English Estimate for 1895–6, a request partially granted by the late, and fully satisfied by the present Government; and (2) for alleged "arrears" for the years 1893–4 and 1894–5. In the case of both these years (as I then stated) the request was three times refused by the late Board of Treasury, though 1894–5 was not then completed, and a Supplementary Estimate for that year might, no doubt, have been presented.
§ MR. KNOXI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury—(1) whether he is aware that, in the event of the English Education Department requiring a Supplementary Estimate for the fee grant during 1896–7 as large as the average Supplementary Estimate for the last three years, the sum voted for the Irish fee grant on the principal of 10s. per head will not be less than 9/80 ths the English grant for the year; (2) whether in that event the, Treasury would present to Parliament, if the Board of National Education so demand, a Supplementary Estimate bringing up the Irish grant for 1896–7 to 9/80ths of the English grant; and (3) whether, in order to enable the Board of National Education to frame their Estimate, he will secure that they shall receive early information of the amount of the English supplementary grant, if any. The hon. Member stated that the word "not" should have been omitted.
§ *MR. HANBURYI feel sure that the hon. Gentleman could not have intended to put the Question in the form in which it stands on the Paper, because the answer to the first paragraph as it stands—(viz., whether I am aware that the sum voted will not be less")—is No. The second paragraph raises a hypothetical question, which it is not for the Treasury 1318 to discuss, unless it should be officially raised by the Irish Government. In any case it would appear to be advisable to maintain either the one principle or the other. As to the third paragraph, the National Education Board have only to consult the English Education Department in order to obtain all the information they may desire.