§ Mr. HOAREasked the President of the Board of Education whether he will extend to all Members, who express the desire, the permission that he has already given to the hon. Member for West Nottingham to see the original document E Memorandum No. 21, known as the Holmes' circular, with all the relevant papers, endorsements, etc.
§ Mr. GOLDSTONEasked the President of the Board of Education if he can state how many memoranda containing expressions of opinion which he does not share have been circulated among members of the staff of the Board; how many copies of each of these memoranda have been circulated; and whether steps have been taken to recall all which express opinions not in harmony with those of the President?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI do not think anything is to be gained by any attempt to enumerate such memoranda. With regard to the last part of the question I can only repeat what I said in reply to my hon. Friend on Monday, namely, that it is m accordance with my wish that educational subjects, on which there is wide divergence of view, should be freely discussed and inquiries made amongst the Board's officers under confidential conditions.
§ Mr. GOLDSTONEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman why, inasmuch as some of the memoranda in question are similar to that which has been recalled, there should be exceptions made in these, and why the precedent established in the case of the Holmes' circular should not be followed in regard to those which are on similar lines?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI cannot admit that these memoranda are on similar lines, and they certainly have not been subject to similar rules.
§ Mr. GOLDSTONEasked the President of the Board of Education what officers of the Board were responsible for the circulation of memoranda which he finds contain expressions of opinion not shared by himself; and what were the educational subjects dealt with in these memoranda?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIt is well understood that it is in accordance with my wish, as I believe it has been in accordance with the wish of every President of the Board, that all the numerous topics affecting the work of the Board should be freely discussed in confidence by the Board's permanent officers. I am not aware of any other means by which the President for the time being can obtain the full benefit of their knowledge and experience. I am, of course, responsible for this method.
§ Viscount HELMSLEYDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider that the Holmes' circular partakes of the nature of a discussion?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIf the Noble Lord had seen the whole of the Holmes' circular, as he is now at liberty to do, he would have observed that the circular is the summing up of a discussion.
Sir HENRY DALZIELWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the new arrangements he has made will prevent circulars similar to the Holmes' circular being issued in future without his sanction?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes, sir, the change I have made will prevent language similar to that in the Holmes' circular being circulated to any of the Board's officers.
§ Mr. GOLDSTONEMy question had special reference to those circulars which are similar to the Holmes' circular. Will they be accessible to Members of this House?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANMy answer to that is in the negative. When these memoranda have been written by members of the Board for my guidance I cannot break through that rule. It would be impossible to administer any public office if these rules were not adhered to.
§ Mr. GOLDSTONEMay I ask whether the Holmes' circular did not come within that category, and whether similar circulars may not be seen by Members of this House?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am sure the hon. Gentleman knows that the circumstances in connection with the publication of the Holmes' circular are exceptional.
§ Viscount HELMSLEYHas the right hon. Gentleman given Mr. Holmes any opportunity of making an explanation, seeing that he is not able himself to reply to the attacks made in this House?
§ Mr. GOLDSTONEasked the President of the Board of Education whether Members of the House of Commons interested in the matter may have access to the memoranda which have been circulated among members of the staff of the Board during recent years?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIf my hon. Friend refers to the memorandum recently under discussion my answer is in the affirmative. If he refers to other confidential memoranda as well, my reply is in the negative. I am bound to have regard to the circumstances of confidence in which they were written.
Mr. KINGasked what was the date of the minute written by the Permanent Secretary to the Board, in which he expressed his regret for the lack of judgment that he had shown when directing the Holmes' circular to be printed and circulated; what were the exact terms in which that regret was expressed; and whether a copy of this minute can be placed in the Library for the perusal of hon. Members?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have given the House the effect of the minute, and I do not propose to lay it. Its date was January 31st.