§ Mr. Mastermanwished to put a question to the right hon. Baronet at the head of the Government, relative to the time at which the new Corn Bill would come into operation. Considerable anxiety was felt on the point in the corn markets, in consequence of the newspapers having given different versions of the reply to a question on the subject a few nights ago. A doubt was entertained whether it were intended that the new scale of duties should come into operation on the first Thursday after the new Corn Bill received the royal assent, or not until after six weeks' averages had been taken. He thought it desirable that this point should be cleared up.
§ Sir R. Peelthought, that if the hon. Gentleman had referred to the bill, he would have found the intentions of the Government clearly expressed. He had no hesitation, however, in again stating the course he proposed to pursue. It was certainly his intention that his low scale of duties should attach to the averages as soon as possible after the bill had received the royal assent, and for this purpose he proposed to enact, that the averages of the 137 six weeks declared on the Thursday, subsequent to the bill receiving the royal assent, should determine the new duty. The new scale would thus be brought into operation as soon as possible.