§ MR. JAMES ROWLANDSI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Report of the Chief Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, 1889, was not circulated to the Members of the House until the 31st January, 1891; and whether he can promise that in future the Report shall be issued as soon as possible after the close of the year?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. STUART WORTLEY, Sheffield, Hallam)I have been asked by my right hon. Friend to reply to this question. I 1626 regret that there has been delay in this case. The Report was received by the Secretary of State on the 28th August, which was not much later than the usual time, but which was after Parliament had risen. The opportunity for presentation in the Autumn Session was unfortunately overlooked until December 8th, on which day presentation was effected. The distribution to Members rests with the authorities of the House; and the Secretary of State has no knowledge of the causes which led to the delay between presentation and distribution. I cannot undertake that the Report shall be received in the Home Office much earlier; but will endeavour to secure in future cases its distribution to Members of Parliament and the public within a short time of its being received by the Secretary of State.
§ MR. J. ROWLANDSIs it not possible to produce and circulate this Report in time to enable Members to have it in their hands when the Police Estimates are discussed?
§ MR. STUART WORTLEYsaid that the Report never had been out soon enough to be available for discussion in Debate on the Police Vote.