HC Deb 05 August 1878 vol 242 cc1179-82
MR. CHILDERS

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, When the Supplementary Budget, if he might use the expression, would be brought on in Committee of Ways and Means? He would also be glad if the right hon. Gentleman could state the course of Business for the week.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

Sir I should be only too glad if I could indicate the general course of Business more clearly than I am able to do. To-morrow we shall take as the First Order the Committee of Ways and Means, and I shall then make what my right hon. Friend calls the Supplementary Budget, or Financial Statement. I do not know whether that will lead to discussion in Committee, but I presume there will not be much discussion before going into Committee, Then would fol- low the Vote for the Supplementary Army Estimates in Supply. I see that the hon. and gallant Member for Bath (Mr. Hayter) has a Notice on the Paper, and I do not know whether he will bring that on to-morrow or not. Therefore, there is great difficulty in judging how much progress we may make to-morrow. Probably, we shall go on with Supply on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. If we get through the Army Estimates, we shall propose then to take the Navy Estimates on Thursday; and if we are fortunate enough to get through them, we shall take the Civil Service Supplementary Estimates on Friday. To-night, if we are able to do it, we hope to get through all the remaining Votes of Classes III., II., and I.; and, if there is time, we might finish the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill. It may be convenient to some hon. Members to say that we propose, in any case, to take the Report on the Intermediate Education (Ireland) Bill on Monday next.

MR. CHILDERS

said, there were Estimates and Supplementary Estimates. In what order was it proposed to take these?

MR. ANDERSON

had hoped for some information as to what Bills it was intended to take. Were the Government going on with the Medical Act Amendment Bill? He wished to know, because it was getting so near the end of the Session.

MR. J. COWEN

asked, if it was intended to persevere with the Telegraphs Bill; and, if so, he desired some intimation when it was likely to be taken?

MR. JENKINS

asked, if it was proposed to go on with the Bishoprics Bill?

MR. M'LAREN

asked, what course was to be taken with the Education (Scotland) Bill, which was brought on at three o'clock on Saturday morning, when many of the Scotch Members were not present?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

Sir, we propose to take the ordinary Army Estimates first, and then the Supplementary Army Estimates, and to exhaust these before we go to the Navy and Civil Service Estimates. I cannot say at what particular hour the Cattle Plague Bill, which stands just after Supply, is likely to be taken. I will not go on with it at an unreasonable hour, though, at this time of the year, it is difficult to say what is an unreasonable hour. The Bishoprics Bill will be proceeded with. I announced some time ago that the Indictable Offences Bill would not be proceeded with; but although I promised that due Notice would be given of when the Order was to be discharged, I am unable to give that Notice at present. We are unable, at this moment, to say whether we shall proceed with the Telegraphs Bill. As to the Medical Act Amendment Bill, I have communicated with the Lord President of the Council, and he is of opinion, as we also are, that it would be useless to attempt to pass it at this period of the Session; and the Order will, therefore, be discharged. With regard to the Scotch Education Bill, he would leave his right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to say what course he was going to follow.

MR. ASSHETON CROSS

said, he would not have brought the Scotch Education Bill forward the other night, except at the request of Scotch Members. When he was asked to bring the Bill on, he said he thought it was rather late, but if they wished to go on, he, for one, would not object to it. One hon. Member objected; but he was met by a perfect chorus of Scotch Members insisting upon it. He (Mr. Assheton Cross) was bound to say a quieter and calmer two hours' discussion he did not believe had ever taken place in that House. He would bring on the Report at the earliest possible opportunity.

MR. M'LAREN

gave Notice, that he would move that the Report be taken into consideration this day three months, and that would prevent the Bill coming on after half-past 12 o'clock.

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

thought the arrangement just announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer with regard to the Supplementary Budget Statement and the Supplementary Estimates was the most convenient that could be adopted. The Motion, of which his hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Bath (Mr. Hayter) had given Notice, called in question, to a certain extent, the whole recent policy of the Government, and also partly the policy of the Expenditure which would have to be discussed in Committee. Now, it seemed to him that the general question of policy had been tolerably well discussed last week, He presumed that there would be a full opportunity in Committee of discussing the Expenditure incurred in removing the Asiatic troops to Malta and in the occupation of Cyprus. He would, therefore, suggest to his hon. and gallant Friend that it would not be necessary to interpose his Motion before the Speaker left the Chair, but that his object would be sufficiently met by a discussion on that Expenditure in Committee. The hon. Member for Hackney (Mr. Fawcett), who was not in his place, also had a Notice of Motion on going into Committee on the Supplementary Estimates. It would, perhaps, be convenient that the discussion on the Supplementary Estimates should, if possible, be taken to-morrow; and the Motion of the hon. Member for Hackney, which was one of a somewhat abstract nature, might be discussed equally well on going into Supply on any other occasion. He hoped to be able to persuade his hon. Friend not to interpose his Motion to-morrow.

MR. HAYTER

, after what had been said by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the noble Lord, acceded to the suggestion just made by his noble Friend. He might however add, that having received a great amount of support on the Liberal side of the House, especially below the Gangway, he surrendered not the substance but only the form of his Motion. It would be competent for him to raise the subject of the Military Expenditure and the occupation of Cyprus in the discussion that would take place in Committee on the Supplementary Estimates.

MR. MUNDELLA

said, that as there were some 20 odd Notices on the Paper before going into Committee, he wished to know when the Education Votes would be taken if they were not reached tonight?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, they could hardly expect to reach the Education Votes to-night.