HC Deb 23 January 1891 vol 349 cc900-1
MR. HOWORTH (Salford, S.)

I beg to ask the Attorney General whether a promise made by a Parliamentary candidate in the course of a Parliamentary Election that he will in future employ only Trades Union workmen when he has previously employed non-Unionists is contrary to the provisions of the Corrupt Practices Act?

SIR R. WEBSTER

Upon the facts stated in the question, and assuming that the promise was made in order to influence voters, I am of opinion that such promise is contrary to the provisions of the Corrupt Practices Act.

MR. A. O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)

I wish to ask the Attorney General whether he is prepared, on any day, to furnish an answer to every general or abstract question put by any Member of the House, or are we to consider this as an exceptional occasion?

SIR R. WEBSTER

My conduct in the past is, of course, in the recollection of the House. I am not aware of any case in which an hon. Member has put a question on an assumed state of facts in which I have declined to give him my opinion.

MR. JOICEY (Durham, Chester-le-Street)

May I ask whether the Attorney General has taken any steps to make himself acquainted as to whether any such promise was ever given?

SIR R. WEBSTER

I have absolutely no knowledge of the matter except what appears on the Paper. If the hon. Member had kindly listened to my answer he would have heard that I said distinctly "upon the assumption of the facts stated in the question."

MR. COBB

May I ask the Attorney General whether the assumption that the promise was made with the view of influencing voters is not the main reason for the answer he has given?

SIR R. WEBSTER

The hon Member has entirely misunderstood my answer. If he were as well acquainted with the Corrupt Practices Act as I am obliged to be, he would remember that in order to constitute a corrupt practice there must be something which will influence voters. I made no assumption of my own. I used the words "assuming that the promise was made in order to influence voters," which is the condition laid down by the Statute constituting the offence. Hon. and right hon. Gentlemen opposite know that the Election Judge, if any such question were raised, would have to try that question, and to find it as a question of fact. Therefore I was bound to make the assumption.