§ MR. THOMAS SHAW (Hawick Burghs)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the dissatisfaction through out Scotland with the Minute of the Scotch Education Department, dated 28th May, 1903, providing for the distribution of the general aid grant, and to the fact that this Minute will become operative on 28th June; and whether, in these circumstances, he can see his way to grant facilities this week for the discussion of the Motion upon the Paper for disapproval of the Minute?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think the request of my hon. and learned friend is a little unreasonable. The Minute to which he refers was, I understand, explained at very great length the other night, and discussed on the Education Vote by many hon. Gentlemen, including the hon. and learned Member himself. It does, therefore, seem rather unreasonable to ask for a further opportunity of debating it.
† See page 38.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANSeeing that the debate was not concluded, cannot some opportunity be afforded of further debating the Education Vote?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not wish to dispute with the right hon. Gentleman the question of the relative amount of time that should be given to the various Scotch Votes, but I do think eight hours is quite enough for a discussion on this subject; and that Scottish Members would desire to debate other matters.
§ MR. THOMAS SHAWIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that although the Committee was ready to take a Vote on the question the Lord Advocate himself talked it out?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI was not in the House at the time, but I understood that the Committee had gone away from this Minute in order to discuss another topic.