§ 39. Mr. TINKERasked the President of the Board of Education if he is in a position to state the proposals suggested at the meetings held on 13th and 14th January on the voluntary schools position under the Education (School Attendance) Bill; and will he consider issuing a White Paper setting out those proposals?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThe proposals to which my hon. Friend refers were communicated by me to the Press and appeared in the principal papers last Tuesday, and have thereby obtained full publicity.
§ Mr. TINKERDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that the House is entitled to a White Paper?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI think that full publicity has been given; all the leading newspapers except the "Daily Mail" published them in full.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWill subsequent proposals be communicated to this House?
Lieut. - Colonel Sir FREDERICK HALLIs it the intention of the Government that we are to look to the papers for information, and not to receive any communications from the Government on important subjects?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANrose—
§ Mr. SPEAKERI call on the Minister of Education.
§ Sir C. TREVELYANI thought that the most convenient plan for everybody was that I should publish them in the newspapers, and I think that the fullest publicity has been given to them. They were published by all the leading newspapers in full.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYMay I ask for an answer to my question, which was asked before the question of the hon. and gallant Member for Dulwich (Sir F. Hall)?
Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANIf these proposals are not accepted in a reasonable time, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of withdrawing them altogether?
§ Sir C. TREVELYANThat is another question.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYMay I ask for an answer to my question?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe have over 100 questions on the Paper.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIt is not a question of time. May I put this question—
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe have only reached No. 39. If this, what I may call an abuse of supplementary questions, continues, some alteration of the Rules which govern them will have to be considered.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYMay I put this to you, Sir—