HC Deb 16 August 1887 vol 319 cc683-6
MR. E. ROBERTSON (Dundee)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, If he will undertake that any Government Bills not yet introduced shall be introduced and printed forthwith?

MR. HENRY H. FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the Question I should like to ask him whether, having regard to the fact that there are now 116 Votes to obtain in Supply; that there are 39 Government Bills on the Order Book; and that there are 41 Bills of private Members on the Order Book, the Government will abstain from bringing in any further Bills; and whether the right hon. Gentleman will take the usual steps at this season of the year to remove the greater part of these 80 Bills from the Order Book, and endeavour to bring this protracted Session to a close?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

There is no one in this House who would be more relieved by the close of this very protracted Session than myself. The Question of the right hon. Gentleman is, therefore, one that I should be exceedingly glad to answer in the sense in which the right hon. Gentleman desires. In the 39 Bills mentioned are included a very large number of very small measures, which the experience of the right hon. Gentleman must have told him are absolutely necessary, from time to time, for the proper conduct of Departmental business. There are very few of these 39 measures which ought to take more than a very few minutes. ["Oh!" and "Hear, hear!"] I speak to right hon. Gentlemen who are acquainted with Public Business, and who will quite accept the statement I make. I undertook yesterday to say something about Business on Thursday, and I propose now to postpone any remarks on particular Bills until Thursday; but, with regard to the Question of the hon. and learned Gentleman (Mr. E. Robertson), I can assure him no Bill will be introduced which, by any possibility, can be avoided, or which is not necessary in the interests of the Public Service. I have certainly no wish to ask the House to consider any Bill which, in my judgment, is not absolutely necessary for the protection of the public interests.

MR. E. ROBERTSON

My Question was, whether the right hon. Gentleman would undertake that such Bills as might be necessary should be introduced forthwith?

MR. W. H. SMITH

Well, Sir, I hope there will be none; but if there is any Bill it will be introduced forthwith.

MR. BROADHURST (Nottingham, W.)

asked, whether the Labourers' Allotments Bill, being the first Order, would be proceeded with on Wednesday, provided that the Coal Mines, &c. Regulation Bill passed through Committee that evening?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I should be glad to proceed with it; but we are under an engagement to proceed with the Diplomatic Vote if the Coal Mines, &c. Regulation Bill is through to-night. I have made an engagement to the House, and I wish to keep it.

MR. HENRY H. FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)

And when the Diplomatic Vote is carried we are to proceed with the Irish Votes?

MR. W. H. SMITH

Yes; that was the understanding, subject to the Irish Land Law Bill.

MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)

said, it would be convenient if an understanding could be arrived at as to when the Irish Votes would definitely be taken.

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, he had been anxious to meet the views of hon. Members, and had promised that the Irish Votes should be taken after the Diplomatic Vote, the Irish Land Law Bill, and the Committee stage of the Coal Mines, &c. Regulation Bill. He would endeavour to fix a date to suit the convenience of the House. That date might be Monday or Tuesday next.

MR. DILLON

said, what he understood was this—that they would proceed regularly with Supply, postponing the Irish Votes until the rest had been disposed of. He mentioned this for the guidance of the right hon. Gentleman before coming to a decision; and, considering the Business before the House was not Irish Business, it would be more for the convenience of Irish Members if the Irish Votes were postponed until the rest had been disposed of.

MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman proposed to take the Technical Schools (Scotland) Bill that night; and, if so, whether he would not go further than to move the Speaker out of the Chair?

MR. W. H. SMITH

We will not go further than that, Sir.

MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)

asked, whether it would be possible to take into consideration the Lords' Amendments to the Truck Bill after the Irish Land Law Bill?

MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)

inquired, whether the Post Office Savings Banks Bill would be taken that night?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I hope, Sir, the Post Office Savings Banks Bill will be taken to-night. In answer to the Question of the hon. Member for Northampton, I have every hope that an arrange- ment may be made by which the Truck Bill may be taken on Thursday. I am not able to bind myself to that, however.

MR. CHILDERS (Edinburgh, S.)

asked, when will the Chancellor of the Exchequer take the Inland Revenue Bill?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)

Not before Friday night.

MR. CHAPLIN (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, whether it would not be possible to take the Labourers' Allotments Bill before the Irish Votes?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I will endeavour to make the best arrangement in my power for the Allotments Bill coming on at a very early date.

MR. DILLON

said, that, so far as the Irish Members were concerned, they were very willing that the Labourers' Allotments Bill should have precedence of the Irish Votes.

MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, what course the Government intended to take with the view of advancing the progress of the Belfast Government Bill; it was blocked by three hon. Members for Belfast; and if they were at present in the House he would ask them to remove the blocks.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

said that, of course, as the Bill was blocked it could not be taken after half-past 12. He had no power to get the block removed, and there was no immediate chance of the pressure of other Business allowing it to be taken before half-past 12; but they would do their best to get the Bill on as soon as they could.

MR. DIXON-HARTLAND (Middlesex, Uxbridge)

asked, after what hour the Post Office Savings Bank Bill would not be taken that night?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I hope there will be no objection to its being taken at any time.