§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he can conveniently state the date on which he proposes to give the House of Commons that opportunity of canvassing the policy of this Country on the Gold Coast which he promised should be afforded to it without delay?
§ MR. DISRAELIThe policy, Sir, of the Government with regard to the Gold Coast has been stated in Parliament by the Secretary of State, and when all the details are matured, it will be necessary for us to appeal to this House for a Vote—not for a considerable sum, but still a Vote—which will necessitate a full exposition of policy on our part, and give this House an opportunity of taking any part in regard to our policy that they may desire. That is the usual and Parliamentary mode in which the matter should be brought before the House; and I think, therefore, I have fulfilled my engagement on the subject. At the same time, if the hon. Member does not wish to stay for that accustomed opportunity, and challenges our policy in a manner which renders it on his part a duty to bring it before the House, I will give him every facility for taking that course.
§ MR. HORSMANSir, I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that if the hon. Baronet wishes to challenge the policy of the Government, he must make a Motion on the subject, and that he will give him an opportunity of so doing; but at the present moment the House knows nothing of the policy of the Government on the Gold Coast. The assurance formerly given to my hon. Friend was, that the moment the Government came to a definite conclusion, it should be communicated to Parliament. Now, in this House we know nothing whatever of what takes place in the other. We are in official ignorance of what is the policy of the Government, and therefore, if we wait until we go into Committee of Supply, we shall have to raise a discussion in ignorance of the question before us. I venture to suggest that this House ought to have made to it an announcement similar to that which has been made to the other.
§ MR. DISRAELISir, the regular course—and the course we shall be prepared to follow—will be when we come to the Committee of Supply to state the policy of the Government before asking for the Vote. That is the occasion upon which the opinion of the House will be taken. I did say, perhaps, that I wished to give the hon. Baronet every facility for raising a discussion on the subject; but I think that the hon. Baronet ought to see that the Constitutional and Par- 314 liamentary opportunity of taking the opinion of the House of Commons upon the policy of the Government is when, in consequence of that policy, we appeal to the House of Commons to support us. Supply will not be asked for without the fullest Notice, and a complete explanation being given.
§ MR. ROEBUCKsaid, he would venture to remind the right hon. Gentleman that his promise was, as soon as the Government had come to a conclusion as to the policy to be pursued on the Gold Coast, they would make a statement to both Houses of Parliament. That had not been done. Information had been solely given to the other House of Parliament, but not to this House, and they were utterly ignorant of its nature.
§ MR. DISRAELIThere will be a statement made in both Houses of Parliament.
§ MR. HORSMANrose again to quote from the Report the words used by Mr. Disraeli on the occasion referred to, but was called to Order by the House.
§ MR. SPEAKERinformed the right hon. Gentleman that his Question had been put and answered.
§ MR. HORSMANsaid, the words used by the right hon. Gentleman were, that the moment the Government had arrived at a conclusion on the subject, the Ministers who were responsible would expound in Parliament the colonial policy of the Government.