HC Deb 10 August 1807 vol 9 cc1153-4
Mr. Bankes

brought up the second report of the committee of finance respecting the Bank. The report was ordered to lie on the table; but on the motion that it be printed, the hon. gent. thought it necessary to say a few words. It was not in consequence of any inattention on the part of the committee, that this report had not been presented sooner, but, from the various details into which it was necessary to enter, it had been found impossible to present it sooner to the house. Yet if the report had been laid before the house as early as he at first had reason to expect, it was not his inten- tion, nor, he believed, that of any member of the committee, to ground any motion upon it in the present session, because it would require much time for gentlemen to make themselves acquainted with the whole of the circumstances. As an individual member of parliament, and not as a member of the committee, he might feel himself called upon to submit some resolutions to the house on the subject, though such a proceeding might, and probably would, be rendered unnecessary by the regulations which might be adopted by the governors of the company.—The report was then ordered to be printed.—The hon. gent. next presented the third report from the finance committee, respecting sinecure offices, places, and pensions, held under the crown. After the report was brought up and read, the hon. gent. observed, that this report had been prepared by the committee pursuant to an instruction from the house of the seventh of last month. Immediately on receiving the instruction, the committee had issued its precepts, and the return to these precepts formed the matter of the report which was just read. It would be for the house to judge whether any vote should be founded on the report, and he did not know whether he should move that in its present state it should be printed, because returns had been received only for a small part of Scotland, and but one or two from Ireland. He hoped, however, that the whole would be completed by next session, when he should be able to take such a course as might seem most eligible.—The Report was then ordered to be printed.