§ MR. ESSLEMONT (Aberdeen, E.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he would state to the House how he intends to arrange business so as to fulfil his undertaking and the expectations of the people of Scotland to make this a Scotch Session, and I should like to explain that I put the question down before I heard the statement of the Lord Advocate yesterday.
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHI understand that the hon. Gentleman does not expect any further answer.
§ MR. ESSLEMONTOh, yes, I do.
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHI believe that if I were now to enter into a lengthened explanation of the manner in which I propose to arrange business for the rest of the Session in regard to Scotch Bills I should occupy more time than I should be justified in doing. But I may say that if the hon. Member and other hon. Gentlemen who are interested in Scotch business will give assistance to the progress of other necessary and inevitable business, then I believe there 1720 will be ample time available for Scotch business.
§ MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)Will the Scotch Local Government Bill be made the first Government business after the Scheme of Naval Defence?
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHThe hon. Member is aware that there is financial business which it is absolutely essential should be considered; but, subject to that consideration, the Scotch Bills will take a foremost place in all our arrangements in regard to the business of the House. I was asked yesterday by the right hon. Member for Mid Lothian what the business for Thursday will be. We propose to take Supply first on Thursday, and later in the evening to introduce the Bill relating to the Sugar Bounty Convention.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANMay I ask whether, considering the progress made with the Naval Resolutions last night, the Scotch Bills will be absolutely the first business on Monday?
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHIt is possible that there may be some more or less formal business taken first thing on Monday, but substantially the Scotch Bills will be the first business on that day.