HC Deb 03 July 1884 vol 289 cc1884-5
MR. J. A. CAMPBELL

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he will undertake that the Universities (Scotland) Bill shall not be brought on for Second Reading except at such a reasonable hour as will secure for it the opportunity of a full discussion?

MR. GLADSTONE

I can answer the Question of the hon. Member, I think, in the affirmative, by saying that proper Notice will be given, and I may, therefore, say at the same time what we propose at present in regard to the procedure. The operation of the vote by which the House of Commons gave Morning Sittings during May and June for the promotion of Government Busi- ness, has, as the House knows, terminated, and we do not propose to renew the application to the House for Morning Sittings, at any rate, at present. But we propose, viewing the period of the year, to ask the House—and I will give Notice for to-morrow—to give precedence to Government Orders on Tuesdays. In case the House accedes to that request, and in case the debate upon the London Government Bill terminates, as I hope it may, to-morrow — [Laughter and cheers]—well, I hope I may be allowed to give my imagination so much licence as to suppose that possibility—in that case, we shall take the Scotch Universities Bill as the first Order on Tuesday, and the Coinage Bill as the second Order.

MR. T. A. DICKSON

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Upon what day the Second Reading of the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Bill will be taken?

MR. H. H. FOWLER

asked whether, having regard to the limited time devoted this Session to the Civil Service Estimates and to the fact that two Votes of Credit had already been taken, the Prime Minister would name an early day for resuming the consideration of those Estimates?

MR. GLADSTONE

I will do so. We propose to devote Monday to the Army Estimates, and Thursday to the Civil Service Estimates, and we shall do the best we can to get forward with them. With respect to the Irish Bill, I am not able to make any arrangement during the coming week, and the present situation of public affairs generally makes me rather unwilling to enter upon any description of arrangements beyond the present week. But at the same time I may, I hope, in the course of next week, be able to give a more positive answer to the hon. Gentleman.