§ MR. DISRAELIIt would be convenient to some Members on both sides of the House if the noble Lord at the head of Her Majesty's Government would inform us what business will be taken on that day week, when the House resumes its sittings after the Whitsun recess.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONThe right hon. Gentleman has only anticipated me in the statement I was about to make on this subject. I am quite aware that it will be convenient for the House at large to know what arrangements the Government propose for the public business after the holydays. We are engaged to-night in discussing the Second Reading of this Budget Bill. I should hope I am not too sanguine in expecting that we shall dispose of the second reading in the course of this night. Assuming this, I can assure the House that it is the anxious desire of the Government to combine as far as possible the despatch of public business with the general convenience of hon. Members. Our intended adjournment, though for the same length of time as last year; is some days shorter than it has been in preceding years, and I am aware that it might be inconvenient to many Members who wish to go to more distant places during the recess if the whole body were called back for the consideration of an important public mea- 2101 sure so early as the Thursday, What I propose, therefore, is that, assuming the second reading to be disposed of to-night, the next stage, namely, the Committee, should be fixed for the Monday after the meeting of the House. We can arrange other business for the Thursday and the Friday, and I hope that will meet the general convenience of hon. Members. It is obvious that on a matter of such interest it is desirable that the House should be as well attended as possible, and I am quite aware that it would not be convenient to all hon. Members that the Bill should be fixed so early as Thursday.