OXFORD UNIVERSITY COMMISSION. (Hansard, 25 May 1854)

§ LORD JOHN RUSSELL

Sir, in answering the question of the hon. Gentleman, I must take the liberty of calling the attention of the House to the usual practice of putting questions, and to the advantage of adhering to that practice in conducting the business of the House. The use of putting questions is to spare the House having Motions made for information, and to enable the House to procure very shortly, and without the trouble of discussion, information which can be at once given in answer to a question. To questions, therefore, the proper limit is, whether or no they can be made the subject of a Motion. And a very great advantage is derived from the practice, because hon. Members who wish to make Motions for information may call for information, and Ministers may be equally able to give the information that is required. But I must say this practice is liable to abuse. I would only beg my hon. Friend to consider what would be the result if a Motion to this effect were made—that there shall be laid before the House all the recommendations that have been made to the Government for the various offices that may be vacant in Church and State; and also an account of the books that any of those persons have published, and the contents of those books. That would really be the kind of Motion that my hon. Friend would have to make in this case, if his question had taken the form of a Motion; and I must certainly decline to state whether these gentlemen, among others, have been recommended as the secretaries of the Commission. It is 870 rather too hard, I think, on Mr. Wayte and Mr. Rawlinson that their names should be brought on in this manner. I think that they, as well as others who have taken a great interest in this University question, and have forwarded suggestions to the Government, of which we have received a great number, ought not to be brought before the public in this way.