§ LORD NORTONasked the Lord President of the Council, When this year's edition of the Education Code will be laid on the Table; and, whether it will include the alterations he indicated as under his consideration last year, or some of them; and, if it is as yet only partially revised, when we may expect its complete revision?
§ EARL SPENCERsaid, that the Education Code had been laid on the Table of the House. It was being printed, and would be circulated either to-morrow or Wednesday. With regard to its contents, he had to state that, in accordance with the promise he gave their Lordships last year, he had, during the Recess, carefully considered the whole subject; but, considering that the Session last year was later than usual and this year it had commenced earlier, the Government had not had sufficient time to complete their inquiries. As their Lordships were aware, the Code was required to be laid on the Table within a certain number of days of their meeting, so that it was impossible that any material changes should have been made; and, as a fact, it only contained certain changes that were required by the Act that was passed regarding education last year. Their Lordships would remember that that Act contained certain important clauses for the purpose of reconciling the Factory Act with the Education Act, and which made it necessary to modify some of the regulations, and those had been made; but no other alterations had been made. The Government hoped to be able, in considering this important subject, to simplify the Code, and also to make it more effectual for the education of the people. 759 Having regard to the largo annual expenditure now voted by Parliament for elementary education, the Department thought it right that any change they made should be prefaced not only by experiment, but a very minute inquiry with regard to its financial effect; and they would eventually have to consult the Treasury on this important matter. All they desired was to improve the Code; and he did not think that they should have proposed many changes this year, even if they had been able to do so, because he thought it very undesirable to make frequent changes in the Code, which affected, more or less, all who were engaged in the great work of education. It was desirable, moreover, that notice should be given as long as possible before changes wore made; and, therefore, he should, before the close of the Session, lay upon the Table a Minute showing what alterations the Department proposed to make, so that they should have an opportunity of being considered, not only by their Lordships, but by all the various bodies interested in education.
§ House adjourned at a quarter past Six o'clock till To-morrow, half past Ten o'clock.