HC Deb 12 March 1841 vol 57 cc147-8
Lord John Russell

asked the hon. and learned Member for Ipswich, whether he intended to proceed with his Criminal-law Bill on Wednesday next? He did not wish to supersede that bill by any Government measure, but it would be more convenient if the hon. and learned Member would lake another day.

Mr. Kelly

was glad to take this opportunity of stating, that it was not his intention to go into committee on his bill until after Easter. He had been induced to come to this decision principally by the introduction of several bills on the same subject by the noble Lord. He took it for granted, that all those bills would be printed, and probably read a second time, but that they would not be committed until his bill had advanced to that stage. He hoped that these questions would ere long be finally settled by the House. He apprehended that he must take some Wednesday after Easter, unless the noble Lord were disposed to grant him an evening when Government business was usually transacted. The hon. and learned Member concluded by moving for certain unopposed returns of persons indicted, convicted, and punished in 1837, 1838, 1839, and 1840. They were ordered to be laid before the House.