§ *LORD BARNARD,in pursuance of notice, rose to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries whether it is proposed to hold an inquiry into the system of agricultural education, and, if so, when and what will be the scope of such inquiry. He said that some twelve months ago certain University colleges engaged in teaching agriculture attended at the Board of Agriculture for the purpose of urging their claims for further financial support. Unfortunately, at that moment there was a hiatus in the office of the President of the Board of Agriculture; but the deputation was most courteously received by the Permanent Secretary, and they were assured that the new President of the Board of Agriculture would be consulted as to whether anything could be done. In reply to a question on the subject which he had addressed to him in the summer, the President of the Board of Agriculture (Lord Carrington) himself suggested that probably the best plan would be to hold some inquiry into the system of agricultural education in University colleges. Since that date he (Lord Barnard) had communicated with a very large number of representatives of those colleges and he had received—although there was some regret that no immediate prospect of financial assistance was held out—answers indicating a very general desire that some inquiry should be held on the subject. There were two points put forward; and those points he would respectfully urge upon the President of the Board of Agriculture. The first was, that any inquiry should not be limited exclusively to the question of agricultural education, but should extend also to the question of agricultural research. The other point was that any inquiry should embrace what was being done in other countries. There was a general feeling among those engaged in higher education in agriculture in England that, though England was a most important agricultural country, the Government was very 1465 far behind the United States and other countries, in the assistance it gave,
§ EARL CARRINGTONsaid he was glad to be able to inform his noble friend that he had obtained the consent of the Government to set up a Committee to inquire into this matter, and he hoped to have the assistance of his noble friend as a member of that Committee. He hoped that Lord Barnard would allow him to consult with him on the matter, as he had not yet been able to settle definitely the scope of the inquiry, nor to arrange altogether the composition of the Committee. The Committee, however, would be appointed next year, and he hoped he could rely upon the assistance of his noble friend.