HC Deb 26 July 1887 vol 318 cc50-1
MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)

asked, Whether the First Lord of the Treatury would order copies of this Statute and of The Gazette containing the Proclamations issued under it to be supplied to the Library of the House; and, whether he was aware that while Donegal and other counties of Ireland had been proclaimed it was not possible for the Representatives of the Irish people to obtain, here or anywhere else that they knew of, copies of the Statute or of The Gazette containing the Proclamations?

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

said, he was not aware of the circumstances stated by the hon. Gentleman, and no Notice had been given him of the Question till he entered the House; but he apprehended that the officers of the House were responsible for providing the Library of the House with such information as hon. Members desired.

MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)

asked, whether when the recent Proclamations were issued the authorities had before them a copy of the Statute under which they acted, seeing that it was not printed?

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

Yes, Sir—that is, I believe so. I beg pardon; the copy we had before us was not a copy in the form which one is familiar with in this House; but it was one of those quarto forms which I believe are printed by the Queen's printers.

MR. T. M. HEALY

asked how it was that, though Dublin was practically 14 hours from London, they could have the Statute in Dublin on Saturday, when it was not obtainable in London oven on Tuesday?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I have no jurisdiction over the Queen's printers.

MR. CHILDERS (Edinburgh, S.)

said, that some years ago it was the custom to deliver to Members, within two or three days of its passing, copies of each Act. This custom had been discontinued. He therefore wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, considering the great importance of the Criminal Law Amendment (Ireland) Act he would not arrange that copies of it should be delivered at; once?

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, he did not think that the present Government were at all responsible for the change which had been made in that arrangement; but the suggestion of the right hon. Gentleman was a very reasonable one, and he would see if it could be complied with so far as that Act was concerned.