HC Deb 01 April 1867 vol 186 cc907-8
MR. GLADSTONE

said, he wished to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to make any alteration in the arrangement or the provisions of the Bill for amending the Representation of the People before inviting the House to discuss the Clauses in Committee; and, whether he is willing to lay upon the table the Reports or other documents from which he quoted on Tuesday the opinions of the present and late Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue respecting the proposed taxing franchise?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

Sir, it is not my intention to lay on the table the communications from which I read freely, and without reserve to the House, the other night, but which were strictly of an informal character. I shall therefore not place them on the table. With regard to the other and more important Question put by the right hon. Gentleman, I beg to state that to-night I shall put on the Paper a Notice that in Committee of the Whole House on the Representation of the People Bill I shall move the omission of Clause 7—that is, the clause which proposes to give a second vote, in respect of which I act according to the statement I made to the House the other evening. With regard to all other controverted points, I beg to state that I think the House in Committee will be able to find the best solution, and that we shall enter into that Committee with the most anxious desire, in co-operation with the House, to bring the subject of Parliamentary Reform to a speedy and satisfactory conclusion.

VISCOUNT CRANBOURNE

With reference, Sir, to the answer just delivered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I beg to ask my noble Friend the Member for King's Lynn, who on a previous night said the Government would introduce a Bill by which they would stand or fall, what are the provisions of that Bill by which the Government will stand or fall?

LORD STANLEY

That, Sir, is rather matter for argument and discussion than for a Question; and when our debates on that subject are resumed, I shall be quite ready to answer any observations my noble Friend likes to make.