HC Deb 30 April 1847 vol 92 cc206-8
MR. FERRAND

rose to advert to the extraordinary conduct of the Government with reference to the New Poor Law. Three months had now elapsed since the present Session of Parliament commenced, and yet the Government up to the present moment had not introduced their promised Amendment of the New Poor Law. It would of course be recollected, that a Committee had been appointed in the last Session of Parliament; and on the 20th of August, 1846, that Committee reported in the following language— That on a review of the proceedings of the Commissioners with respect to the Andover inquiry, and towards Mr. Parker and Mr. Day, it appears that they have been irregular and arbitrary, not in accordance with the Statute under which they exercise their functions, and such as to shake public confidence in their administration of the law. For more than eight months the Government had been screening those Commissioners; and since the commencement of the present Session the right hon. Baronet at the head of the Home Department had promised the House a Bill for the Amendment of the New Poor Law. The right hon. Baronet had, as they all knew, placed a notice on the Votes of the House announcing his intention to bring forward such a measure; hut, as far as he could see, there was not at the present moment the least probability of any such proposition coming under discussion. It was found impracticable to bring it forward last night; and now the right hon. Baronet placed it on the Votes for Monday next, when three or four other Motions would have precedence of it. If they intended to take any such step, he could not understand why they should not proceed with it immediately; why not fix it definitely for Tuesday next? He was anxious to obtain from the right hon. Baronet a clear and distinct pledge that he would bring forward his intended Bill on a Government night. What he thought the House and the country had a right to expect was, that the right hon. Baronet should place a notice on the books with respect to his measure, arranging that it should have precedence of all other business, but yet fixing such a time for its discussion as would give those hon. Members who were interested in the proceeding full notice that they might be able to attend in their places. He hoped that this would be done, and that the right hon. Baronet would not go on night after night postponing the measure, and giving no opportunity for its discussion. The opponents of the proposed Bill had behaved towards the right hon. Baronet in the fairest and the handsomest manner. He had only to add, that unless some early day were appointed for proceeding with the Bill, he should himself make a Motion upon the subject on reading the first Order of the Day. He now wished to know whether the right hon. Baronet would fix a day for proceeding with this Bill?

SIR G. GREY, in answer, observed that he had put his notice of moving for leave on the Paper for last night, thinking that other business might be over sufficiently early to enable him to make his statement. He had not anticipated that merely moving for leave to bring in a Bill, and stating the outline of its provisions, would lead to discussion; but after the measure had been introduced and printed, he intended to fix an early Government Order-day for the second reading, when the debate could be taken. He had been in communication with Gentlemen at a late hour last night, and found that he could not then proceed; and he had, therefore, fixed the question for Monday next. The third reading of the Factory Bill, it was true, stood for that day; but perhaps it would be disposed of at a sufficiently early hour to enable him to make his statement on the Poor Law. On an Order-day, Orders must of course take precedence; and he could only come forward after they were disposed of. On Monday next, if it were possible, it was his full intention to move for leave to bring in the Bill, which was drawn and prepared; and if not on Monday, on the earliest opportunity. When the measure was once in the House, he proposed to proceed with it with all the speed compatible with the convenience of hon. Members.