§ Sir WILLIAM COLLINSasked the President of the Board of Education, whether he is aware that the new regulations for the training of teachers, which are to come into force on 1st August next place upon the Board of Education and upon His Majesty's inspectors' novel duties in regard to the teaching of religious subjects which run counter to the provisions of the Elementary Education Act, 1870; and whether, seeing that, inter alia, that Act requires that it shall be no part of the duty of His Majesty's inspectors to inquire into any 'instruction in religious subjects, he will consider the desirability of modify-the new regulations?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANSection (7) of the Elementary Education Act, 1870, to which my hon. Friend refers, applies only to1528W public elementary schools, and is not, therefore, infringed by Chapter 10 of the Training College Regulations. I may, however, point out that the duties of His Majesty's inspectors under that chapter will be confined to ascertaining that the provision made for the training of students in the work of giving religious instruction is sufficient, and that the methods employed are satisfactory. They will not be concerned with the subject matter of the instruction.