HC Deb 16 April 1885 vol 296 cc1873-4
SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE

asked the Prime Minister, If he could give the House any information with regard to the Business of the House? The Seats Bill might probably be through Committee this week; and he should therefore like to know what Business would be taken on Monday?

MR. GLADSTONE

asked some indulgence from the right hon. Baronet, because he could not exactly define the period of closing the Committee on the Seats Bill. He had a hope that the Committee on that Bill would close tomorrow night. ["Oh, oh!"] He dared say the hon. Member who interrupted knew more about it than he (Mr. Gladstone) did himself. Evidently it was their duty to close the Committee on the Seats Bill as soon as possible. There- fore, he might say they should not interpose anything which would take time in such a manner as to interfere with the closing of the Committee on the Seats Bill.

MR. SEXTON

With regard to the Seats Bill, I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister if he is aware that the separate maps for the divisions of the Irish counties have not yet been provided, and that the special set of maps promised by the President of the Local Government Board, showing the first schemes of the Boundary Commissioners in certain Irish counties, have not been provided, and when they will be provided?

MR. GLADSTONE

I was not aware that the maps had not been provided; and my right hon. Friend, who has had, as is well known, extremely hard work in connection with the Bill, is not at this moment in his place, or he might be able to give some information on the point.

In reply to a further Question,

MR. GLADSTONE

said, they were all anxious that the interval between the Committee and the Report should be as short as it could conveniently and properly be made. At the same time, the intervention of a certain interval was necessary. They could not say what the interval would be; but his right hon. Friend (Sir Charles W. Dilke) would endeavour to make such an arrangement as would be recommended by general propriety, and by the desire of the House.