HC Deb 07 February 1887 vol 310 cc763-4
MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

had the following Notice of Question upon the Paper:—"To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Sir Redvers Buller and other witnesses examined before Lord Cowper's Commission have been invited or permitted to cancel, or materially alter, certain portions of their evidence; and, whether the original evidence, as well as the substituted version, will be published with the Report of the Commission?" Before the hon. Member proceeded to ask the Question—

MR. SPEAKER

rose and said: It is my duty to call the attention of the House to Question No. 21, to which my attention was only directed this morning, and which I had not seen on the Paper previously. There have been several instances this Session of Questions having been presented to me which contained imputations and reflections upon persons outside this House; and this Question—No. 21—contains, I think, an insinuation and imputation of a very grave character indeed; not only against the Government, but against the witnesses who gave their evidence before Lord Cowper's Commission. I do not think that a Question ought to be made the vehicle for insinuation or imputation of this very grave character. Of course, I have nothing to do with the nature of the charge made by the hon. Gentleman; but that charge, in my opinion, ought to be made when there is an opportunity of replying to it in debate or by a definite Motion before the House. It is not, I think, right or fair that charges of this kind should be made in a Question, since, under the limits imposed by Parliamentary Procedure in answer to Questions, no adequate opportunity can be afforded to the parties implicated to answer them in the House.

MR. SEXTON

I submit to your ruling, Mr. Speaker, in reference to the Question; but I wish to say that I shall make it a subject of debate.