HC Deb 03 May 1888 vol 325 cc1244-6
MR. A. E. PEASE (York)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he could give the House any information as to when the Excise Duties (Local Purposes) Bill would be taken?

MR. CAUSTON (Southwark, W.)

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman would consider the possibility of fixing that Bill as the first Order of the Day on which it was put down?

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

I have already stated that I will never undertake that a particular Bill shall be placed as the first Order on the Paper. I am not able to say when the Bill will be taken, possibly on Monday; but Notice of the arrangement will be given. I wish to take this opportunity of giving Notice that no Bill which stands on the Paper for Monday will be taken on that day, as it is essential that the Customs and Inland Revenue Bill and the Local Government (Electors) Bill shall be passed before other measures are proceeded with.

MR. W. E. GLADSTONE (Edinburgh, Mid Lothian)

What will the Business on Monday be? Perhaps, too, the right hon. Gentleman will now be able to give us some information with respect to the Whitsuntide Recess.

MR. W. H. SMITH

The Whitsuntide Recess, I think, must depend in some measure on the progress of Business. I should prefer not to make any statement with regard to the holidays until we can look a little more into the future with regard to Business. The course I propose to take is this—I propose to ask the House to consider the Customs and Inland Revenue Bill this evening, to proceed then to the Committee on the Local Government (Electors) Bill, and if that be not finished to-night to take it up on Monday. There is other Business on the Paper for Monday—the Criminal Evidence Bill, which will follow the Local Government (Electors) Bill. I think that is as much information as I can give to the House at present.

MR. W. E. GLADSTONE

When will the Customs and Inland Revenue Bill be read a third time?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I propose that it should be read a third time to-morrow.

MR. W. E. GLADSTONE

There is no opportunity of generally discussing the Bill on the Report stage. If the third reading is taken to-morrow it ought to be fixed at some hour when a discussion can take place.

MR. W. H. SMITH

I was not aware that there was any desire for a general discussion on the third reading, as a general discussion has already taken place on the second reading, and it is not, I think, very usual that a discussion should be taken on the third reading. I shall endeavour, however, to arrange that the Bill shall be taken at an hour which will allow of a discussion. The right hon. Gentleman must be aware of the importance of getting the third reading of the Bill as soon as possible, having due regard to the desire of hon. Members to express their views upon it. He is also aware that the Bill can be taken at any time; and, therefore, if unfortunately the discussion on going into Committee of Supply should be prolonged, it may be necessary to take the Bill at a later hour.

MR. W. E. GLADSTONE

said, he could not quite let those words pass without challenge. It appeared that one discussion on the Taxing Act of the year was to content the House, and that anything beyond that was to be considered entirely out of the common course. While recognizing the desire of the right hon. Gentleman that the Bill should be got through as soon as possible, he thought that it would be a perfectly fair request to make if they asked the right hon. Gentleman to give some facilities for a discussion.

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, that he would endeavour to use every influence he possessed in order to meet the views of the right hon. Gentleman.