§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH (Bristol, W.)I wish to remind the Prime Minister that he promised to make some statement as to the continuance of the debate on the Irish policy of the Government.
§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers that Question, I should like to appeal to 911 him with reference to a Notice I have on the Paper for Tuesday week, in which a considerable interest is felt in the country. It is the question of perpetual pensions. It is a question which, at the request of the right hon. Gentleman, I postponed five years ago, and which I have not since had an opportunity for bringing on. 320 of the pensions affected by the Notice have been commuted during the interval.
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE) (Edinburgh, Mid Lothian)Five years is a rather long period, and one is not accustomed to recognize Parliamentary debts extending back so far. The question of pensions is one which, in any ordinary circumstances, would have some weight with the Government for facilitating its discussion, being a question very germane, indeed, to the primary functions of this House. But, of course, I do not undertake to say that such a debate as that on the Government of Ireland Bill, in the event of its lasting till Tuesday week, should be suspended on account of it. We have considered, as well as we could, the whole state of the facts; and we have had to bear in mind that some Gentlemen friendly, and some, I think, unfriendly, to the Bill have expressed regret that more time had rot been taken for the consideration of it. What we propose is, on and after Monday, to ask for four days a-week, or what is commonly called the whole time of the House of Commons. A special reason which prevents us from asking for tomorrow night is that, although there are a number of Notices down on the Paper on going into Committee of Supply, I am by no means sure that we could get these Notices out of the way; but, besides that, as Notices on going into Supply almost invariably terminate before the evening has very far advanced—that is, before midnight—there would be given us an opportunity of moving the second reading of the Arms Bill, in regard to which my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary has been pressed, and a Notice in regard to which ought not to remain for a long time on the Table of the House. He is quite ready to take the judgment of the House tomorrow night. It will be better not to run the risk of interrupting the debate on the Government of Ireland Bill; and, therefore, it is the intention of the Government 912 on Monday to ask for the continuance of the debate for four days a-week until its conclusion.