HC Deb 10 August 1885 vol 300 cc1582-5
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he can make any statement today as to what Business Her Majesty's Government intend to proceed with during what remains of the present Session; and also whether he is able to state the day on which Business will be concluded and the Prorogation take place? I should also like to ask him whether he can state the course the Government intend to take with regard to No. G Order, the Police Enfranchisement Extension Bill. The right hon. Gentleman will see that the Bill involves very contentious matter; and, having regard to the understanding that contentious matter should not be proceeded with, I should like to ask him what course he intends to take?

THE CHANCELLOR or THE EXCHEQUER

The last Bill to which the noble Marquess refers is a private Member's Bill, and all I have stated with regard to it is that we would endeavour to afford my hon. Friend who brought it in (Mr. Coleridge Konnard) such facilities as might enable him to take the sense of the House on the Motion that the Speaker do leave the Chair. Of course, it does not rest with me or with Her Majesty's Government to decide whether a contentious measure introduced by a private Member should or should not be proceeded with; but I rather question—considering the fact that it was strongly supported on the second reading by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Derby (Sir William Har-court) and some hon. Members below the Gangway on the opposite side of the House—whether this Bill can fairly be called a contentious measure. The Business of the Government for the rest of the Session will be practically confined to the first two Orders on the Paper—the Housing of the Working Classes and the Land Purchase (Ireland) Bill—there will, I think, be ne-thing else that can be called of a contentious nature, and we hope that the House may pass both those measures. The Bill for the Housing of the Working Classes is rather the Bill of the Royal Commission than of Her Ma- jesty's Government. ["No, no!"] Well, I will I eave that matter to be settled by the Royal Commissioners themselves. The second reading of the Bill will be moved to-night; and I hope the House will be able, without any lengthened debate, to come to a vote on The second reading. Of course, we shall attend very carefully to the opinions which may be expressed during the debate with a view to the course we should adopt in the later stages of the measure. The Land Purchase (Ireland) Bill can hardly be called a contentious measure; and we hope it may be possible to proceed with the Committee stage to-night if the House deals with the subjects now before it in the spirit in which it has treated Business during the last fortnight or three weeks. Although I cannot name a day for the Prorogation, we hope that it may not be far distant.

GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR

asked whether the Government intended to proceed with the Burgh Police (Scotland) Bill?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, a Scotch Member called his attention to this Bill the other day, and he was rash enough to say he had never heard of it. He was told it was a Bill of 500 clauses—[Mr. WARTON: 599.]—and how a Bill of that kind could become law this Session he was at a loss to understand.

MR. BUCHANAN

said, he understood that the Government would not proceed with the Bill.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

Yes.

MR. C. S. PARKER

said, it might save time if he were allowed to inform the House that the Order for proceeding with the Bill in the House of Lords had to-day been read and discharged.

SIR JOHN HAY

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he would be good enough to state when the Vote of Thanks was to be moved to the Army and Navy for their gallant services in Egypt and the Soudan?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

I hope to move that Vote on Thursday.

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

I think that perhaps the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer may be able to give a little further explanation as to the facilities which he states that the Government are willing to give to the Police Enfranchisement Bill. The expression which the right hon. Gentleman used is rather elastic. I presume that it is not the intention of the Government to postpone any of their own Business for the purpose of forwarding the Police Enfranchisement Bill; and I do not think that the general sense of the House would be in favour of prolonging the Session for the purpose of discussing this Bill. The right hon. Gentleman said that this was in a sense not an opposed Bill; but there are many hon. Members who are disposed to oppose it upon various grounds. I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he can give the House any further definition as to the facilities he proposes to afford for the discussion of this measure?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

I can hardly give any better definition of those facilities than I have already given. The chief obstacle to dealing with the Bill is the Ride of the House which will prevent the Motion that the Speaker do leave the Chair being made after half-past 12 o'clock. I understand that many hon. Members who oppose certain details of the measure are willing that the Bill should be brought on to-night, even after 1 o'clock, so that a decision of the House upon the various points raised in reference to it might be taken.

COLONEL COLTHURST

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman would be willing that the discussion upon the second reading of the Housing of the Working Classes (England) Bill should be adjourned at an early hour, in order that the House might go into Committee upon the Land Purchase (Ireland) Bill?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, he was afraid that he must answer the hon. and gallant Gentleman's Question in the negative.

MR. JAMES STUART

asked, whether the statement that appeared in the newspapers of that day, that the Government were introducing a measure dealing with the public health of the Metropolis, was correct; and, if so, whether it was intended to proceed with thy I Bill this Session?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR)

replied that the Bill had been introduced into the Lords; and, therefore, he could not give any answer as to the progress that would be made with the Bill.

MR. JAMES STUART

asked, whether the Bill was a Government measure?

THE PRESIDENT

said, that the measure stood in exactly the same position as that which was about to be discussed that night.