§ MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he has given attention to the fact that a Committee of the House recommended 20 years ago a series of reforms in the law for the registration of voters; why the recommendations of such Committee have never been carried into effect; if he is aware that several Bills for a reform of the Law of Registration have been introduced by private Members during the present and several preceding Sessions; whether the Government intend, during the next Session, to introduce any Bill upon the subject; and, in the event of their declining to do so, whether they will consent to the appointment of a Committee to consider the whole question of registration and the various Bills upon the subject which have been introduced during the present Parliament?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)I am sure the hon. Member will see that the Government cannot be held responsible for the political events of the last 20 years, nor can I state why successive Governments have not acted upon the Reports to which he refers. It is impossible for me to say what measures the Government will deal with next Session, beyond the indication I have already given.