HC Deb 09 February 1866 vol 181 cc305-7
MR. H. BERKELEY

said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, in conjunction with the information recommended to be procured in Her Majesty's Speech in reference to the rights of Voting in the Elections of Members to serve in Parliament, it will not be deemed necessary by Her Majesty's Government to inquire into the causes which at present prevent so large a portion of the Electors from Voting, and encourage so large a portion to traffic with the Franchise; and whether such an inquiry be not necessary previous to the creation of a Reform Bill?

SIR GEORGE GREY

I can only say that Her Majesty's Government have called for such information as they think necessary in order to lay before the House a Bill on the subject.

VISCOUNT CRANBOURNE

I wish to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he will state to the House the exact nature of the Returns upon the subject of the rights of voting, which are in course of collection by the Government? I hope I may ask Her Majesty's Government to give an answer in detail, as my object is to enable hon. Members to move for supplemental Returns in case those produced by the Government should not be deemed sufficient.

SIR GEORGE GREY

Those Returns will, I hope, be soon completed; and it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to lay them before the House when they shall be completed. It is better, therefore, to wait for the Returns themselves, as it would be very difficult to give in detail correct information on the subject referred to by the noble Lord. Before communicating the Returns to the House we wish ourselves to be assured of their accuracy.

VISCOUNT CRANBOURNE

Will the right hon. Gentleman lay the circulars on the table?

SIR GEORGE GREY

It will he better to lay the Returns, and all the papers connected with them, on the table at the same time.

LORD ELCHO

I wish to ask the right hon Baronet whether the Returns referred to by the noble Lord the Member for Stamford will be laid on the table before the Reform Bill is introduced by the Government?

SIR GEORGE GREY

Those Returns will be laid on the table as soon as they are in a condition to be laid before the House. I am not in a position to say when the Reform Bill will be introduced; and, therefore, it is impossible for me to say what the interval may be between the production of the Returns and the introduction of the Bill.