HC Deb 12 August 1857 vol 147 cc1484-5

Vote for Pimlico Improvements.

SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBY

asked whether the account of those improvements might be considered as settled.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, the First Commissioner of Works (Sir B. Hall) was the person who could best answer the question, but he was not at that moment in the House.

MR. STAFFORD

regretted the absence of the hon. Gentleman, and remarked that it had become a not unfrequent occurrence that Ministers were absent at the time when Votes were being taken for their particular departments, which prevented the House from obtaining the full information that was desirable. He should like to know when the explanation required by the hon. Baronet would be given.

SIR GEORGE GREY

had no doubt that his right hon. Friend (Sir B. Hall) would have been in his place if he had imagined there would have been any discussion as to this Vote. If the hon. Baronet would put the question to-morrow, he would be sure to obtain all the requisite information.

SIR WILLIAM JOLLIFFE

thought that when once hon. Gentlemen in that House had sanctioned the costly expenditure upon Buckingham Palace, they ought not to complain that the neighbourhood of the Palace was being made respectable. There was no other expectation before them than that this expenditure must continue, and his only hope was that, as they had already incurred the expenditure of, £500,000, they would construct such a class of houses as would remunerate the country for such an outlay.

SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBY

hoped the House would not yield up their valuable privilege of discussing Votes on the bringing up the report of Supply.

SIR GEORGE GREY

quite coincided in the view taken by the hon. Baronet, but he must deprecate the censures cast upon his right hon. Friend (Sir B. Hall) for not being present that occasion, by the hon. Member for Northampton.

MR. STAFFORD

said, he was quite prepared to uphold the censure which he had passed upon the right hon. Baronet for his absence upon such an occasion. When first he (Mr. Stafford) entered Parliament it was always the custom of Ministers who had charge of Bills to be present in their places whenever there was a chance of a discussion being raised with respect to them; and certainly the business of the country was not better done now than it was in those clays when the discipline of the Treasury bench was much more remarkable.

Resolutions agreed to.

Question that Mr. Speaker do leave the Chair to go into Committee of Ways and Means.