HC Deb 22 February 1886 vol 302 cc907-8
MR. MITCHELL HENRY

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether the Government will undertake to deal with the subject of overcrowding in the House of Commons, or will consent to the appointment of a Select Committee to whom shall be referred the Reports of the Select Committee of 1867–8 on "House of Commons Arrangements," and in the meantime will take steps to reprint those Reports with the accompanying drawings?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE)

Whether beneficially in other respects or not, some relief to the state of tension which this question has reached at the opening of Parliament has been afforded by the change of Government which has taken place. It has brought about, if not a perfect division, a more equal division of the Members of this House. I think it very likely that this question may come up for consideration after the House has had a little more experience of its existence and working; and, in the meantime, I quite agree with my hon. Friend that the Reports of the Select Committee of 1867–8 on the House of Commons Arrangements may be very properly reprinted for the use of Members.