HC Deb 09 November 1916 vol 87 cc416-7
30. Mr. BOLAND

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the Intermediate Board undertook by resolution, subsequently published, to give a year's notice of any proposed change to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction with respect to the arrangement made between these two Government Departments; can he state whether any such notice was given to the Department of Agriculture before the new rule was made, whereby a written examination in experimental science was added to the system of inspection which had been in operation for fifteen years; and, if so, will he state on what date such notice was given?

Mr. DUKE

The view of the Board is, as I understand, that they gave more than a year's notice of their intended new rules. I am, however, referring the question to the Board.

31 and 32. Mr. BOLAND

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) what educational bodies, if any, had been consulted by the Intermediate Board before the new rule affecting the teaching of experimental science was formulated; and (2) whether his attention has been called to the recently issued Report of the National Board of Education of Ireland, in which, on page 9, the Commissioners state that before the adoption of any new Regulations of sufficient importance, or likely to prove contentious, full opportunity shall be afforded to managers, teachers, and other persons interested, by conference or written communication, to lay their views before the Board; and whether the Intermediate Board propose to follow the same course before it introduces any new Regulations, in view of the protests which have been made by educational bodies against the new rule dealing with experimental science?

Mr. DUKE

I have asked the Board of Intermediate Education for their answer to these questions, and expect to receive it after the next board meeting, which I am told is fixed for the 16th instant.