HC Deb 07 June 1860 vol 159 cc23-4
MR. BLAKE

said, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, in the event of a measure for the Amendment of the Representation of the People passing during the present Session of Parliament for England alone, a Dissolution and General Election for Great Britain and Ireland would take place, to be followed by Elections in Scotland and Ireland on the passing of the Bills for the Amendment of the Representation of the People for those countries?

LORD JOHN RUSSELL

Sir, I do not quite comprehend the meaning of the hon. Gentleman's question; but this much I can tell him, that no dissolution can take place without the exercise of the prerogative of the Crown, and no measure passed by this House can provide for a dissolution. When the prerogative is exercised—when Her Majesty is advised to dissolve Parliament, there would, of course, be elections in Scotland and Ireland as well as in England.