§ MR. WEBB (Waterford, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in making arrangements for next Session, he has fully considered the great inconvenience a pre-Christmas meeting of Parliament would cause to Members who have not permanent homes in London (especially Irish Members), necessitating, as such an arrangement would, additional unsettlement in domestic arrangements, and two journeys additional at the most inclement season of the year?
§ MR. W. A. MACDONALD (Queen's Co., Ossory)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the question, I wish to ask whether he has considered that, as the contemplated arrangement involves a Session of eight months instead of six, it is right to make so important a change in procedure without the consent of Parliament?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHI must remind the hon. Gentleman that it rests with the Crown as to when Parliament should be called together. The Government are, of course, reluctant to put hon. Members to any inconvenience, but, having regard to the state of public business, we see no way by which the meeting in November can be avoided.