§ MR. KETTLE (Tyrone, E.)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the fact that an additional grant of £1,400,000 per annum is provided for elementary education in England and Wales under the Education Bill lately introduced, and to the need for increased expenditure under this head in Ireland, he will take steps to allocate, by way of equivalent grant or otherwise, a corresponding and adequate grant-in-aid of Irish elementary education.
§ MR. MITCHELL-THOMSON (Lanarkshire, N.W.)To what purpose will the corresponding equivalent grant for Scotland be applied?
§ MR. ASQUITHI do not recognise any question of equivalent grant in either case. The new grant in England will not have effect until the year 1909–10. It would therefore be premature to consider the question on the basis suggested, at present. The requirements of elementary education in Ireland are, however, receiving the most careful consideration of His Majesty's Government upon their own merits.