HC Deb 22 February 1888 vol 322 cc1204-5
MR. HENRY FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he could inform the House what Business the Government proposed to take on Friday in the event of the Report stage of the Address being completed to-morrow night?

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

in reply, said, the Government had been in hopes of taking the debate on the Motion of the hon. and learned Member for South Hackney (Sir Charles Russell). He found, however, that the Motion of the hon. and learned Gentleman had been postponed until Monday; and, therefore, it was impossible to take it on Friday. In these circumstances the Government proposed to take the Rules of Procedure on Friday's Sitting, on the understanding which, he believed, was assented to generally that the debate on the Address would conclude absolutely to-morrow night.

SIR CHARLES RUSSELL (Hackney, S.)

said, he presumed that, unless some- tiling unforeseen occurred, his Resolution with reference to Trafalgar Square would be discussed on Monday?

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, the hon. and learned Gentleman was aware that the Government were under the necessity of considering the Estimates and of taking certain Supplementary Votes in the Army and Navy and Civil Service Estimates before a certain early date in March; but if he was led to believe that those Estimates would be duly voted, he should be very happy to leave Monday open for the hon. and learned Gentleman. His first duty, however, was to make provision for the Public Service, so that there should be no inconvenience.

SIR CHARLES RUSSELL

Perhaps if I ask to-morrow evening, the right hon. Gentleman will then be able to make a definite statement.

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, he hoped it would be possible to do so, and also to communicate the Estimates which would be laid on the Table to hon. Gentlemen opposite, so as to obtain from them some impression of their view of the possibilities of the case. If it was possible to surrender Monday, of course the Government would do so. The Civil Service Supplementary Estimates would be taken first, and then, he thought, the Army and Navy Votes.

MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)

asked, whether it was the intention of the right hon. Gentleman to appropriate Friday as a Government night by Resolution? If not, it would come under the ordinary Rules which regulated proceedings on a Friday evening.

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, that was the intention. He understood it to be the wish of the House to get to the consideration of the Procedure Rules.