HC Deb 18 May 1896 vol 40 cc1569-70
MR. JAMES BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether he can state on what plan there will be allotted to Scotland a grant from the Exchequer which shall secure to that country a sum of money applicable for its benefit equivalent to the contribution which Scottish taxpayers will be required to make to the expenses of education in England under the Education Bill brought in by Her Majesty's Government, that Bill not proposing to confer any educational or other benefit upon Scotland; and, in what form it is intended to bring before the House such equivalent grant?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)

The Question of the right hon. Gentleman is couched in a rather argumentative form, and I do not intend to make a debating reply to it. The Government might be prepared to deal with the subject of Scotch education, and I still entertain some hope to be able to lay before the House before Whitsuntide the conclusion at which the Government has arrived.