HC Deb 27 November 1882 vol 275 cc121-2
MR. CAUSTON

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether private Members having proposed additional Resolutions on the Paper in relation to Procedure will have the opportunity of having their Motions discussed before the close of the Session?

MR. GLADSTONE

With respect to the Question whether we are to invite the House to enter upon the consideration of the additional Resolutions now on the Paper, and proposed by various hon. Members, I have to observe that the proposal is somewhat formidable. These Resolutions happen to be 39 in number; and as each Resolution on Procedure takes about as much time to settle, on an average, as an Article of Religion, it is a question whether it could be done in the course of this year, and I do not think the House would be disposed to undertake the matter. I have had communications to the effect that, even if those Gentlemen who proposed Resolutions were disposed to make a further sacrifice of their time, about which we are not quite certain, yet those who have not proposed Resolutions would undoubtedly feel a very great disinclination to do so. But there is another question to be considered. Would the Gentlemen who have proposed these Resolutions—and among them there are certainly one or more subjects that deserve consideration on their merits—have any prospect of a satisfactory consideration of them in asking the House to prolong its Sitting? We have come to the conclusion that they would not; and, therefore, we do not propose that consideration. It would be for them to determine whether, at a future period— that is to say, when the regular Session commences—they would take advantage of that opportunity.

MR. JOSEPH COWEN

May I ask a Question arising out of the last one? A statement was made here on Friday night to the effect that the House was likely to meet again in January. [General cries of "No, no!"] May I ask the Prime Minister whether the House is likely to meet then, or in February as usual?

MR. GLADSTONE

I do not regard myself as in any degree responsible for that statement. I did make a reference to the subject; but various exclamations which met me without any sort of discord or conflict, and which, in fact, appeared to me to express in a considerable degree the evident sense of the House, quite convinced me that it would be highly unsatisfactory to meet in January.