HC Deb 01 May 1883 vol 278 cc1576-8
MR. STAVELEY HILL

I wish to ask my hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General a Question of which I have given him private Notice. It is, Whether it is intended, on the part of the Government, to issue Whips for the Standing Committees, as was done in the case of the Grand Committee on Law this morning? If so, whether, in the opinion of the Attorney General, such a practice will tend to the impartial consideration of the Bills referred to those Committees?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)

I am much obliged to my hon. and learned Friend for giving me an opportunity of answering this Question, which I think rests upon some misapprehension. Although many hon. Members have been constant and assiduous in their attendance at this Committee, I must say that while some very important questions in relation to this Bill have been discussed the attendance has been comparatively small. I was very anxious, not to obtain the votes of hon. Members, but to take their judgment on the Bill, and I did feel it desirable that they should attend. But I did not wish to communicate with them personally, lest it should be supposed that I was seeking their support. Therefore, the request was made in a more formal manner; and, of course, the request could only be made, so far as I was concerned, to a section of the Committee. ["Oh! "J But I took the opportunity of communicating to the hon. and learned Member for Launceston (Sir Hardinge Giffard), who had opposed the Bill in this House, and who was conducting the opposition to the Bill, that I thought a more general attendance was desirable, and I placed in his possession yesterday the fact that the issue of a request had been determined upon. I must say that my hon. and learned Friend accepted the notice in the spirit in which I made the communication to him. I can assure the House that I should be very sorry if that communication should be regarded as other than an entirely colourless one in regard to any support that I sought. I had no intention whatever of issuing a Party Whip.

MR. SEXTON

I wish to ask the Attorney General, whether the form of sending a communication to a section of the Grand Committees is to be considered as exceptional; or whether the Government intend to apply to Grand Committees the system of issuing Party Whips?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)

I have already stated the object for which the communication was made. I do not think the system will prevail as a practice beyond what it has done.

MR. GORST

Is the House to understand that Her Majesty's Government have come to the conclusion that without the use of these Party instruments the Grand Committees will not work well?

SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE

In reference to the answer of the Attorney General just now, in which he said that he did not contemplate that the practice would go beyond what it had at present, I would ask whether he means that no more Circulars will be issued, or that they will only be issued on similar occasions?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)

I hope no similar occasions will arise. Really, Sir, this act was rather my own than that of anybody else, and I do not think it would be likely that occasion will arise for its frequent adoption.

MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR

Is it not a fact that the Whip was sent out after the Government had been defeated on an important point?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)

I am happy to say that nothing has occurred which I have regarded as a Government defeat.

MR. WARTON

Understood to be defeated.