HC Deb 22 March 1906 vol 154 cc637-8
MR. ARTHUR LEE (Hampshire, Fareham)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether he will now consider the advisibility of carrying into effect the suggestion which he made to the late † MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Trinity College, Dublin): Return of Revenues and Statement of method of government and administration of Trinity College, Dublin, in the following form:—(a) A Statement of the Revenues of the College, and of the sources from which they are derived; (b) As to the Fellows of the College—their number; method of election; tenure of office; the duties and emoluments of each individual Fellow, and the sources from which these emoluments are derived; how many, and which of them, hold professorships or other collegiate offices; (c) As to the Professors—their number; method of election; tenure of office; the duties and emoluments of each Professor; whence are those emoluments derived; how many, and which of them, hold other collegiate offices; (d) A Statement of the method of government and administration of the College (distinguishing the duties of the Board and of the Academic Council), and of the number, duties, and salaries of the persons, other than servants, porters, &c., employed in the College; (e) A Statement giving particulars as to the four professional schools showing— (1) The number of Professors and Teachers in each school; (2) The emoluments received by each such Professor and Teacher; (3) The fees paid in each school for professional instruction; (f) A Statement giving particulars of the amount and employment of the Fund received as compensation for the Church livings of which the College was deprived in 1869, showing— (1) The original amount of the Fund; (2) The method of investment; (3) The employment of the interest of the Fund; (4) The present amount of the Fund; (g) What provision is made for pensioning Fellows and Professors and other persons in the employment of the College. How many pensions have been granted since 1870. Age, employment, and cause of retirement of persons to whom such persions have been granted. How many of such persons are now living. Government, on May 11th,‡ 1905, to the effect that an official Memorandum should be issued stating for what purposes the British Army is maintained, and what is the number of men required for the defence of the country and for its oversea obligations.

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

I cannot trace any demand made by myself for an official Memorandum on this subject, though I did ask for information. I interpret the hon. Member's Question, therefore, as inviting me to give that information as to the purposes for which the British Army is maintained and the number of men required. The hon. Member and his friends were in power for ten years and they had all the advantage of a succession of War Ministers with fresh ideas and relays of energy. The Committee of Imperial Defence has also been in existence under the guidance of the late Prime Minister for two or three years. But the late Government appear to have been unable to arrive at and state publicly a conclusion on this subject. The hon. member now expects me after a few weeks of office largely occupied by a general election, and after attending four or five meetings of the Committee of Imperial Defence, to do what the late Government failed to do with all their advantages of both time and talent. I think the hon. member must have patience for a little longer.

MR. ARTHUR LEE

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will consider the advisability of endeavouring to give this information to the House before it is called upon to discuss the reductions in the Army which were foreshadowed in his speech during the recent Army debate and were not contemplated by the late Government?

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

The hon. Gentleman may be sure that no time will be lost in the matter.