§ MR. SAMUELSONasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he intends, during the present Session, to introduce an Amendment of the Bank Charter Act of 1844, enabling the Bank of England to increase its issues against securities, beyond the amount to which they were at present limited by that Act?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that considering the state and prospects of public business, he was more than doubtful whether it would be in the power of the Government, during the present Session, to make any proposal relating to the difficult subject of the issue of bank notes. As regarded the particular Question put by the hon. Member, if it implied that the Government might have an intention of enabling the Bank of England to resume the discretionary system which prevailed prior to the passing of the Act of 1844, he was bound not to limit his answer to the present Session; and he would, therefore, say that the Government would not be disposed to enable the Bank of England to resume that system either in the present Session or in any other.