§ *MR. ASHLEYI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the amount to be expended in the United Kingdom for 1907–8 in respect of agricultural and dairy education is,£85,140, and that of this sum the percentage to England is 14 per cent., to Scotland 9 per cent., and to Ireland 77 per cent., and that their populations are to that of the United Kingdom as 78, 11, and 11 to 100, he will see his way next year to provide a sum which shall place England and Scotland in a position as favourable as that of Ireland.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. ASQUITH, Fife, E.)No, Sir; I am not aware of any reason for making the change suggested.
§ *MR. ASHLEYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that England and Scotland only receive 23 per cent. of the total money expended, whereas their proportion of the agricultural population is 61 per cent.?
§ MR. ASQUITHThat may be so, but it is not the province of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to suggest to heads of other Departments that they should make expenditure of public money for which they have not asked.
§ *MR. ASHLEYMay I ask whether the Board of Agriculture have not 74 repeatedly pressed for a larger grant of money?
§ MR. ASQUITHNot that I am aware of.