§ Sir PHILIP MAGNUSasked whether it will be competent, under the Govenment of Ireland Bill, for the Irish Parliament to modify or repeal the Irish Universities Act; if so, whether the Imperial subsidy granted to the University of Belfast could be lessened; and whether the terms of appointment of certain professors of the university, under which they now hold office for a period of years, could be changed without the consent of the Imperial Parliament?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first question is in the affirmative. As to the second question, the money now voted to the Irish Universities will, after the appointed day, cease to be so voted, but an equivalent amount will be included in the transferred sum, and placed at the disposal of the Irish Parliament, who can appropriate it, or a greater or lesser amount, to the same purposes. As to the third question, it might legally be open to the Irish Parliament to alter the terms of the contracts of employment under which professors are appointed in the universities or other private contracts, but such a contingency is hardly within the bounds of possibility so far as regards the terms of appointment of existing professors.
§ Mr. MOOREWill it be open to the Irish Parliament to receive the amount, including the amount voted for the University in Belfast, and refuse to apply it to that university at all?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThat applies to all the university Grants.