§ * MR. BRADLAUGHMay I ask the First Lord of the Treasury to what date he intends to postpone the Indian Councils Bill, and whether it will really be taken on the date to which it is postponed?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHWe propose to take it on Thursday next, and if we find that we are unable to take it then another day will be named.
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONE (Edinburgh, Mid Lothian)I wish, Sir, to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he can give any information to the House as to the course of business to-morrow and Monday? I hope, also, that by this time he has been able to fix on some day on which he can undertake to propose the Foreign Office Vote.
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHThe right hon. Gentleman was not in the House when I answered a question as to the course of business a short time ago. I stated that the Government propose to deal with the Anglo-German Agreement Bill, with the Local Taxation Bill, and with the Police Bill before they again take up Supply. I hope it will be possible practically to complete the Anglo-German Agreement Bill to-night, and to take up the Local Taxation Bill to-morrow and the Police Bill on Monday. After that we propose to again take up Supply, beginning with the Scotch Education Vote, and proceeding with the other Scotch Votes. I hope it will be in my power shortly to name a day for the Foreign Office Vote.
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEThe questions connected with the Foreign Office Vote are most important questions of principle —the principle upon which relations are to be regulated elsewhere in matters of great delicacy; and I cannot think that all the Bills the Government have before the House and all the other Votes in Supply ought at this period of the year to be put before that important Vote.
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHI will endeavour to give consideration to the suggestion of the right hon. Gentleman, but we feel it most important to take the Bills I have named as soon as possible.
§ SIR G. TREVELYANIs the Scotch Police Bill included in the right hon. Gentleman's statement?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHI am afraid not. The Scotch Bill has not been reported on yet by the Committee upstairs.
§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I should like to obtain from the First Lord of the Treasury a more definite answer than has yet been given as to the Estimates being taken next Session as soon as possible and on regular days, for though a pledge was given last year that they would be taken early, most of the Estimates have not yet been voted.
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHI have already given an answer on this subject. It is the desire of Her Majesty's Government to give the House every opportunity, at the earliest possible period, of discussing the Estimates, if the House on its part will be content to display some resasonable limitation of the discussion. I cannot go further than that.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREThen I beg to give notice that next Session I will do my best to assist the Government in bringing forward the Estimates early by throwing every impediment in the way of all other business which is placed before us.