HC Deb 17 December 1908 vol 198 c2150
MR. CLOUGH (Yorkshire, W.R., Skipton)

I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether, following the precedents of the Old-Age Pension Act and Budget, 1908, he can see his way to deal by a separate Bill to the Budget in 1909 with the £13,500,000 allocated to elementary education, so as to constitute the teachers of the elementary schools a branch of the Civil Service free from the imposition of all ecclesiastical tests, and so as to provide that the whole of these moneys shall only be expended upon those elementary schools that are completely controlled by popularly elected education authorities.

MR. ASQUITH

I am afraid that I am not at present in a position to give any indication as to the policy which His Majesty's Government will pursue in regard to the question raised by my hon. friend.