§ MR. BELLAIRSI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, in view of the misgivings which were expressed in the past as to whether subjects of general education were neglected in the syllabus of the cadets at Osborne and Dartmouth, whether he can see his way to publishing a Report on the last midsummer examinations in English and naval history.
§ MR. MCKENNAI am unaware that any person of consequence has expressed misgivings in the past. The answer to the hon. Member's Question is in the negative.
§ MR. BELLAIRSAre we to understand from this Answer that the Admiralty, when it suits it, will read the favour- 960 able Reports, but will refuse unfavourable ones when asked for by a Member of this House.
§ MR. MCKENNANo such inference can be drawn from the reply I have given to the Question.
§ MR. BELLAIRSI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, in view of the experience of the hon. Member for Woodstock as a University and Civil Service examiner, whether he will allow the hon. Member to see the Director of Naval Education's instructions to examiners under which recent examinations have been held at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; and, if so, will he leave it to the discretion of the hon. Member to answer a Question addressed to him in the House as to whether the instructions do or do not deprive exaaminers of a necessary safeguard against anybody responsible for teaching the cadets being cognisant of the Questions that are going to be asked.
§ MR. MCKENNAAs I have already declined to give my hon. friend the Member for King's Lynn such permission, I must decline to give it to my hon. friend the Member for Woodstock. It would be invidious to draw distinctions between my two hon. friends.
§ *MR. BENNETT (Oxfordshire, Woodstock)Is it a fact that the Questions set for the examinations are actually revealed beforehand to any member of the staff charged with the tuition of the cadets?
§ MR. MCKENNAI must ask for notice of that.