Chapter IX 
CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION 
Consultative Committee 
The Act of 1899, following to some extent the 
recommendation of the Bryce Commission, provided 
for the establishment of a Consultative Committee 
“ consisting as to not less than two-thirds of persons 
qualified to represent the views of universities and 
other bodies interested in education.” It was 
originally constituted in 1900 by Order in Council, 
enlarged in 1907, and reconstituted in 1920. It has 
twenty-one members appointed by the President of 
the Board normally for six years, and provision is 
made for retirement of its members by rotation. 
They are not infrequently reappointed for a further 
term. Two specific functions assigned to the 
Committee have become obsolete, and its function 
is now the general one of advising the Board “ on 
any matter referred to the Committee by the 
Board.” 
The debates on the Bill of 1898 and the Act of 
1899 are illuminating. Great stress was laid on 
preserving unimpaired the responsibility of the 
Minister to Parliament. The idea of a represen- 
tative committee endowed with statutory powers 
was rejected. The Duke of Devonshire insisted 
that “the Minister must be responsible for the 
choice of his advisers as well as for the action he 
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