HC Deb 22 November 1906 vol 165 c1002
MR. J. M. ROBERTSON (Northumberland, Tyneside)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will obtain information for the House as to the circumstances in which Yakoub Artin Pasha has retired from the post of Under-Secretary of State for Education in the Egyptian Government, and the newly created office of Secretary of State for Education has been assigned to one of the Judges in the Native Court of Appeal; whether Artin Pasha had been promised advancement to the new post on its creation, in consideration of his great and repeatedly recognised services in promoting educational reforms; and whether the official appointed is without any experience in the work of the Department.

SIR EDWARD GREY

It is regretted that Yakoub Artin Pasha has considered it necessary to resign. But I cannot admit that he has any grievance against the Egyptian Government. The appointment of Zagloul Boy as Minister of Public Instruction has been received with great pleasure and approval by all classes of Egyptian society. There is apparently every prospect that it will inspire confidence in the conduct of this Department in Egypt, and his personal qualifications for the post are not unlike those which have more than once proved eminently satisfactory in the case of Ministers of Education in this country, who have seldom, if ever, been trained in the Department.