§ SIR W. HARCOURT (Derby)I rise to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer a question with regard to the Business for the rest of this week. Some conversation took place yesterday on the 1214 subject, and I have since endeavoured to ascertain the feelings of gentlemen on this side of the House. The conclusion to which I have come is that it would not be at all convenient that the Committee on the Education Bill should be taken until Monday next. A great deal may be said on the Bill which may alter the view of Members with regard to it, and there are still many points obscure. Therefore I would urge the right hon. Gentleman not to fix the Committee stage for any day before Monday next.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover SquareThe Government cannot but recognise in an important Bill like this, if there is a very strong-desire on the part of hon. Members to have a day or two to put down Amendments, that it would be scarcely proper to attempt to force on the consideration of a measure as to which the bulk of the House considered that there was not sufficient time to prepare Amendments. The Government, therefore, will not he indisposed to postpone the Committee stage until Monday. But I would point out that if hon. Gentlemen wish to have time to put down Amendments, that purpose can be served in no way better than by concluding the Debate to-night. Otherwise the purpose of the right hon. Gentleman will be frustrated. I trust, therefore, that efforts will be made by all portions of the House to bring the Debate to a conclusion to-night. In that case the Army Estimates will be taken to-morrow, and the Public Health (London) Bill or Thursday. I will state to-morrow, or my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House (who I hope will be in his place) will state, what will be the business on Friday.
§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)What Votes in the Army Estimates will be first taken? Will they be taken in the usual order?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. E. STANHOPE,) Lincolnshire, HorncastleI have been so often challenged to give an opportunity for discussing the Non-Effective Votes that I propose to take them first; I then propose to proceed with the Vote for Work's, and afterwards to go on in regular order.
§ MR. H. H. FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)When will the Chancellor of the Exchequer move the appointment of the Committee on the Financial Relations of the United Kingdom?
§ MR. GOSCHENI do not know whether the right hon. Gentleman was in his place last evening when I said that the Government cannot consent to treat Wales as a separate fiscal entity. I think I may fairly appeal to hon. Members from Wales to withdraw their opposition to the Motion I intend to make. If they want to make a protest, and will be content with a Division, I will see what can be done with the First Lord of the Treasury to induce him to allow the Motion to be taken early in the afternoon. If we are to have a Debate on the subject, it will really be an enormous waste of time, which I would not wish to inflict upon the House at this period of the Session.