§ MR. RATHBONEasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, if the Government carry a short amending Bill 858 on Bankruptcy this Session, they will engage to bring in a Consolidation Bill at the beginning of the next Session in the House of Commons, and refer it at once to a Select Committee, so as to give ample time for the due and careful consideration of this important question?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI have been in communication with my hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General on the subject, and he is of opinion that it will be possible to greatly reduce the length of the Bill by adopting the suggestion made the other day by the hon. and learned Member for Coventry (Sir Henry Jackson); and he is now occupied in considering what alteration should be made in it. My hon. and learned Friend will, therefore, propose to re-commit the Bill pro formâ, in order to make the necessary alterations; and I hope it will be possible to pass the Bill through the House during the present Session. If it should be necessary—as very probably it will be—to introduce a Consolidation Bill next Session, it will be very convenient to take the course recommended by my hon. Friend. I think it will be best to see the Bill in the form in which it will be presented; and I believe that, in all probability, the Government will introduce a Consolidation Bill.