§ MR. T. F. RICHARDS (Wolverhampton, W.)On behalf of the hon. Member for Leicester, I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if he is now in a position to state how long he proposes to allow the present relations between the London University and the Imperial School of Science and Technology to exist without the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the former; and whether he can inform the House if the Board of Education has any policy to announce regarding the future government of the latter institution.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Mr. RUNCIMAN,) DewsburyNo, Sir; the Imperial College has not yet had a complete academic 365 year on its new foundation; the new governing body, who have only been a few months in office, have been very strenuously occupied by the various labours incident to the new developments, and the new post of rector of the college has only recently been filled. For these reasons the relations of the college to the London University, which have been uniformly harmonious, have not yet been sufficiently investigated or tested to admit of my coming to any decision at present as to the desirability of a Royal Commission. I understand, however, that there is some likelihood that, as was suggested last year to my predecessor, the London University may decide to apply for a Royal Commission to be appointed; and I think it would, therefore, be inexpedient that I should at the present stage attempt any statement in regard to the concluding paragraph of my hon. friend's Question.
§ SIR W. J. COLLINSasked whether the right hon. Gentleman endorsed the statement made by his predecessor in office to the effect that no steps should be taken by the Government to set up such a Royal Commission unless the chief parties concerned, the University and the college, should move the Government to do so.
§ MR. RUNCIMANsaid he would like to have an opportunity of seeing what his predecessor said, but he had no doubt that that would be the most correct position to take up.