HC Deb 12 May 1887 vol 314 cc1692-3
MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)

I wish to ask some Member of the Government to refer me to one of their Colleagues who can answer a Question put by my hon. Friend the Member for West Belfast (Mr. Sexton) the other night. There is a Bill down to-night in the name of the hon. Baronet the Member for Mid Armagh (Sir James Corry)from which the blocks have been withdrawn. I wish to know, whether it is the intention of the Government to support the hon. Baronet in restricting the Bill to Belfast alone; or, whether the Government will support the extension of the principle of the Bill to all Ireland?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

My right hon. Friend and Colleague the Chief Secretary is the only Member of the Government who can answer that Question, and he is not in his place just now.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Will the right hon. Gentleman say why the Irish Chief Secretary cannot be in his place to answer a Question of this kind?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I am sure the right hon. Gentleman would be in his place had he the slightest notion that the Question would be asked.

Subsequently,

MR. T. M. HEALY

said: I wish to ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for the Isle of Thanet and Parliamentary Under Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he can give the House any information, either from his conferences with the Irish Secretary or not, as to whether Her Majesty's Government will vote in support of the hon. Baronet the Member for Mid Armagh (Sir James Corry) in moving to restrict to Belfast the franchise which the Bill proposes to extend to the whole of Ireland?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)

The hon. Member for Mid Armagh has brought in the Bill to which the hon. and learned Member refers entirely on his own responsibility, and has taken the course which seems to him best calculated to effect his object.

MR. T. M. HEALY

That is not an answer to my Question. My Question is, whether he can inform the House if Her Majesty's Government intend to support the hon. Baronet the Member for Mid Armagh in restricting to one particular borough an Act for the whole of Ireland?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

When the hon. Member for Mid Armagh brings forward his Bill the hon. and learned Member will have an opportunity of seeing what course the Government will adopt.