§ 35. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware of the view approved in various ways from different quarters that noneducational ecclesiastical endowments with trusts of an obsolete nature should be diverted to educational and unsectarian purposes, and especially whether he has examined the provisions and effect of the Oxford University (St. Edmund Hall and Gatcombe Rectory) Act passed this Session, and the. Hulme Trust Estates Charity Dill now down for Second Reading; and whether, bearing in mind the difficulty and expense of passing separate Bills, private or public, to attain the ends now so generally approved, he will next Session, either in connection with a comprehensive Education Bill or otherwise, initiate legislation to facilitate the transfer of antiquated religious trusts, of whatever denomination, to educational purposes?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. J. A. Pease)The provisions of the Bills to which the hon. Member refers have been considered by my Department. I have, however, no authority to deal with non-educational ecclesiastical endowments, and I see no prospect of giving effect to the suggestion of the lion. Member by general legislation.
§ Mr. KINGWill not the right hon. Gentleman try to get powers to deal with these endowments and so increase the sphere of his influence and the funds at his disposal?