HC Deb 13 May 1879 vol 246 cc235-6
MR. RITCHIE

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, seeing that the House of Commons and the Government have approved of the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the Sugar Industries, and that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has officially intimated that Her Majesty's Government have decided to make no further representations on the subject to Foreign Governments until the Select Committee has reported, he will afford me facilities for nominating the Committee, as, in consequence of notice of opposition to the nomination of the Committee having been placed on the Paper, it is rendered practically impossible, without the assistance of the Government, to carry out the decision of the House?

THE CHANCELLOE OF THE EXCHEQUER

, in reply, said, he regretted very much that any impediment had been thrown in the way of proceeding to the appointment of the Select Committee with reference to these duties. He did not quite understand upon what ground the opposition which he saw was offered to the nomination of the Committee by his hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham (Mr. Isaac) rested. He thought that was the only opposition which was now offered, and it would be hardly fair if the matter were brought on at a period of the evening when it would not be possible to discuss it. It would not be easy, and would probably cause some inconvenience, if he were to propose to alter the other Business in order to take the Motion for nominating this Committee. He therefore trusted that his hon. Friend might be able to arrange that the Notice of the Amendment might be taken off the Paper.

MR. RITCHIE

asked the hon. Member for Nottingham if he should persist in his opposition?

[No reply was given.]