§ MR. GRIFFITHasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the Government has any intention of bringing in a Bill for the amendment of the Corrupt Practices at Elections Act, according to the understanding on which the Select Committee of last Session on that subject was appointed?
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, that a Bill on the subject had been proposed, and was nearly matured. It would, however, require some further examination. When it was ready he would ask leave to introduce it.
§ MR. T. DUNCOMBEasked the right hon. Baronet, whether he was prepared to state the intention of the Government with respect to Wakefield and Gloucester, whose writs had been withheld last Session in consequence of corrupt practices?
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, that it was his intention to include in the Bill to which he had just referred, clauses referring to boroughs in which writs were suspended 145 in consequence of Reports of Commissions.
§ MR. T. DUNCOMBEasked the right hon. Baronet, whether he was aware that it was competent at that moment to any hon. Member to move for the issue of writs in the cases to which his previous question applied? Did the right hon. Gentleman intend to continue the suspension of the writs until his Bill was introduced? Would not such a proceeding be a dangerous innovation on the rights of the House and of constituencies?
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, that all he proposed to do with respect to those two boroughs was to move a Resolution similar to that of last Session, by which it was agreed that no writ should issue for either of them without a week's notice. Such a Resolution enabled the House to retain the matter in its own hands.