§ MR. LABOUCHEREI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is correctly reported in Hansard, vol. 322, page 1,456, on the Debate upon the Rule of Procedure respecting the right of a Minister of the Crown to move the suspension of the 12 o'clock rule—
The object in view was to afford the opportunity of closing a great Debate in a manner which would conduce to the proper conclusion of very grave and important Questions. It would he obviously improper that the Minister, or the Member of the Opposition, who had to wind up a very important Debate should be exposed to the necessity of crowding his observations into a few minutes:and whether he is prepared to assure the House that the suspension of the 12 o'clock rule will only be moved on such occasions during the present Session?
§ * THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. H. SMITH,) Strand, WestminsterI have already dealt 1812 with the Question of the hon. Gentleman in debate, and in answer to questions put to me last Session; but I repeat, if the hon. Member desires me to do so, that I entirely deny I entered into any engagement with the House so restrictive as that which he would put into my mouth. I referred to a great debate by way of illustration of the use of the provision of the Standing Order, and it would obviously have been absurd for a Minister to deny to himself the power to move to suspend the order with regard to supply, which, under present conditions, is frequently the most urgent business the House has to consider.