HC Deb 16 June 1890 vol 345 cc1046-7
MR. CAUSTON

I beg to ask the Home Secretary if he will state, for the convenience of hon. Members, whether the Police Bill, which has been circulated among Members to-day, is in the same form as when it was submitted to the Chief Commissioner of Police?

MR. MATTHEWS

I do not think it is right for the hon. Member to inquire into all the different stages through which a Bill has passed; and, therefore, the only reply I can make is to decline to answer his question. I hops hon. Members will not think this is a laughing matter. It may, no doubt, be necessary for me, when the discussion to which the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Derby referred comes on, to make a statement to the House, and to give information, as I am always happy to do, in reply to questions which may be legitimately asked, in regard to certain points and certain matters contained in the draft Bill which was first sent confidentially to the Chief Commissioner for his consideration. I do not think a question on this subject, put in a general form and without notice, ought to be answered.

SIR W. HARCOURT

If the rule which the right hon. Gentleman has just laid down is to be a general rule, I would ask him to consider whether in the letter which he read the other day in this House he did not use that Bill for the purpose of laying the blame on Mr. Monro, the Chief Commissioner, in reference to that Bill. [An hon. MEMBER: Order, order!] Who is calling me to order? The right hon. Gentleman the Minister for Agriculture has not yet been appointed Speaker of this House. [Cries of "Order!"]

MR. CHAPLIN

I never opened my mouth.

SIR W. HARCOURT

I would submit to the Home Secretary that an answer to the question which has been put to him is due to Mr. Monro.

MR. MATTHEWS

The answer which I gave to the House I certainly did not imagine to be unfavourable to Mr. Monro, inasmuch as I read entirely Mr. Monro's own letter. I hope I may, without committing an indiscretion, say that the Bill submitted to Mr. Monro was at least as favourable to the police as the Bill now on the Table of the House.