§ MR. BAXTERsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to propose the appointment of an Under Secretary of 167 State to take charge of Scotch business in the House of Commons?
§ MR. GATHORNE HARDYsaid, in reply, that as far as he could judge of the Department with which he was now connected, he did not think there was a sufficiency of business to render necessary the appointment of a distinct Under Secretary of State for this particular purpose. He quite agreed that it was a great misfortune both to himself and this House that the Lord Advocate should not have a seat in it, and he hoped that at some time Scotland would do the Lord Advocate the justice to give him one. But in the learned Lord's absence his hon. Friend (Sir Graham Montgomery) had devoted himself to the Scotch business during the Session, and Scotch Members would, he was sure, admit that he had met their wishes wherever it was possible to do so. He could not admit that the Scotch business was really in arrear. In fact, many of the Scotch Bills were more advanced than English Bills. One great measure, as they all knew, had stopped the progress of other Bills, but the Scotch business had not been kept back more than English or Irish business. With every wish, therefore, to expedite business, he could not give any pledge to the effect desired by the hon. Member.