§ 83. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked whether the Bill providing for a national scheme of education will be introduced before Easter; and whether such Bill will be a purely educational measure or whether it will deal also with matters of religious controversy?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. J. A. Pease)I am unable to make any statement as to the date at which the Bill will be introduced, or as to its scope. But I may refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made on 22nd July last in this House, and remind him that the King's Speech contained an announcement that the proposals there outlined would be the subject of a Bill this Session.
§ Mr. BATHURSTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the local education authorities throughout the kingdom are intensely desirous of having a real Educational Bill and not a religious-squabbles Bill?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is not a question designed to elicit information; it is an argument.
§ Lord ROBERT CECILOn that answer, which was rather imperfectly heard owing to a dispute taking place on the Labour Benches—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf the Noble Lord puts an introduction of that sort to his question, it naturally leads to disturbance. He had perhaps better put his question down.