§ SIR GRAHAM MONTGOMERYasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a Supplementary Estimate of the sum necessary to provide for the Queen's Plates that were annually until last year voted for Scotland, seeing that this House has on a Division, by a considerable majority, voted the sum of £1,562 for Queen's Plates in Ireland?
MR. GLADSTONESir, the Government have not formed any intention of laying a Supplementary Estimate on the Table for Queen's Plates for Scotland, in consequence of the Vote recently taken for Queen's Plates for Ireland. The Vote for Queen's Plates for Scotland was proposed regularly by the Government to the House, but was withdrawn upon the suggestion of a number of Scotch Members 224 in the presence of a number of other Scotch Members, the whole of them apparently desiring that it should be done. Nor was there any condition made that the same course should be taken with respect to Ireland. Under these circumstances, it would be premature to say that the Government have come to any such conclusion as the hon. Baronet suggests. The matter, I think, is one in which the House would be inclined to show a deference to the prevailing feeling of Scotch Members if there be a prevailing feeling on the subject.
§ MR. ROBERTSONbegged to give Notice that he would on an early day move a Resolution that the Queen's Plates taken away from Scotland should be restored and continued as long as Queen's Plates were given for England and Ireland.