§ MR. WARTONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he will object to a Return of all Bills introduced into this House, during the last twenty years, having for their object the regulation or restriction, of the Sale of Intoxicating Liquor, distinguishing those for the promotion of Sunday closing, whole or partial, and also distinguishing the kingdoms, counties, and parts of counties for which it has been sought to legislate; and, a Return of all Motions made in this House on the like subjects during the like time?
§ MR. HIBBERTsaid, he had been requested by his right hon, and learned Friend to reply to the Question of the hon. and learned Member. As the preparation of the Return asked for by the hon. and learned Member would involve the expenditure of a considerable amount of time and labour without any corresponding value, and as it scarcely appeared to be within the province of the Home Office to undertake the compilation of such a Return, the reply to his hon. and learned Friend, he feared, must be that if the Return were moved for the Home Secretary would be under the necessity of declining to grant it.
§ MR. WARTONasked whether one reason for the refusal was that these Bills had been so numerous that the Return would be expensive.
§ MR. HIBBERTsaid, he did not refer to the expense, but to the amount of labour which would be entailed upon the Home Office.