HC Deb 22 May 1890 vol 344 cc1592-3
SIR L. PLAYFAIR (Leeds, S.)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, as Article 11 of the Sugar Convention provides that— The Convention shall be ratified and the ratifications exchanged in London on the 1st of August, 1890, or sooner, if possible, there is any intention of ratification without the consent of Parliament, as an implied condition in the earlier part of the same. article; and whether the Convention ceases to exist if the ratifications are not interchanged at the specified date?

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

It is always open to Powers to ratify a Treaty they have made, even though the day fixed for ratification shall have passed by.

SIR L. PLAYFAIR

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether there is any intention on the part of the Government to ratify the Convention without the consent of Parliament?

*MR. W. H. SMITH

I think liberty must be reserved by Her Majesty's Government to act as they may think necessary in the event of other Powers ratifying the Convention.

SIR L. PLAYFAIR

Am I to infer from the answer of the right hon. Gentleman that the Government consider themselves at liberty to ratify the Convention without the consent of Parliament?

*MR. W. H. SMITH

I must have notice of that question.

SIR L. PLAYFAIR

It is on the Paper.

*MR. W. H. SMITH

I will look into the matter.

SIR L. PLAYFAIR

I will put the question down for to-morrow.