HC Deb 21 July 1902 vol 111 cc776-7
MR. CLANCY (Dublin County, N.)

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any determination has been arrived at as to the equivalent grant to be made to Ireland to balance the additional grant to be given in aid of public education in England.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.

It was decided by Parliament in the legislation of 1897 that the expenditure from the Exchequer on education in the three kingdoms should depend on their educational requirements, and not on any system of equivalent grants. If the Irish Government should have any proposals to make with regard to further expenditure on education in Ireland, of course the Government would be disposed to act justly by Ireland in the matter. But I may add that it does not follow that because a fresh grant from the Exchequer is made for a particular object in one of the three kingdoms, that a grant should be made for the same object in the others. For example, we have proposed this session to impose a considerable liability on the Exchequer for the purchase of congested estates and for marine works in Ireland, without making any similar proposals for Great Britain.