HC Deb 07 July 1881 vol 263 cc259-60
MR. DILLWYN

wished to ask the Prime Minister whether, in case the Land Law (Ireland) Bill were concluded as soon as he expected, he intended to take Tuesday nights for Government Business after the Morning Sittings, or to leave the Evening Sittings to private Members?

COLONEL BARNE

I should like to ask a similar Question with reference to Wednesdays, when the Land Law (Ireland) Bill is out of Committee.

MR. GLADSTONE

I was under a mistake in the answer I gave before when I said I feared that on the day the hon. Member referred to we should be in Committee. I was under the impression that he meant Wednesday in next week; I find now that he means Wednesday, the 20th. The authority the House has given us is simply an authority for precedence on behalf of the Land Law (Ireland) Bill on all the days when it is set down; but upon other days we fall back under the ordinary rules; and that will probably be the state of the case until we have disposed finally of the Land Bill. It must be two or three weeks, at any rate, before we have finally disposed of it. I therefore feel hardly prepared to say what, in reference to the state of Public Business, it may be our duty to do; but obviously some opportunities will be left to private Members.