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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