§ DR. CAMERON (Glasgow, College)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, in regard to the count out on Friday, whether the first Order after Supply was the introduction of the Education and Local Taxation Relief (Scotland) Bill? What I wish to ask is whether he is not aware that the principle laid down by successive Leaders of the House—Lord Palmerston, Disraeli, Mr. Gladstone, and the late Mr. Smith—was that it was the duty of the Government to keep a House on Friday night, and I will ask why the Government allowed the House to be counted out at a quarter before 8 when they had enough of their supporters to make a House, and when their own business, of such importance to Scotland and Ireland, as the Private Bill Procedure Bill stood next on the Paper, with a chance of getting them on at an early hour in the evening?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Gentleman has put to me a particular question and a general question. The particular one is, why on last Friday 909 night we allowed the count out as there was Government Business of importance on the Paper. I think the hon. Gentleman will recollect that on Friday night, even if 40 Members had been constantly present, there was very little probability of any Government Business being reached. With regard to the general question, I confess I am not prepared to lay it down as being the absolute duty of the Government to keep a House on Friday night for the discussion of private Members' Notices of Motion, or Amendments on the Motion that you do leave the Chair. The gentlemen who sit on this Bench are a very hard-worked set of persons, and I do not know why I should throw on them the additional work of keeping a House for private Members who cannot keep up enough interest for their own business. If there is any prospect of Government Business being taken, we should, in our own interests, endeavour to keep a House.
§ SIR W. V. HARCOURT (Derby)I am bound to say that the right hon. Gentleman has laid down a new rule which is absolutely contrary to the language of his predecessors. Ever since the change was made, in the time of Lord Palmerston, to put down Supply on Friday evening, it was laid down by Lord Palmerston at that time that it was, and would be, the business of the Government to keep a House on Friday night, and that not only for Government Business, but for the business of private Members on the Paper. That has been repeated by every Leader of the House, and it will be in the recollection of many Members that a conversation took place on this very subject last Session between the late Leader of the House and my right hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian; and the late Leader of the House accepted in the most frank and entire spirit the duty that fell upon the Government to keep a House on Friday night. It is a totally new departure on the part of the Government in the repudiation of the duty to keep a House. If that course is persisted in, I hope we shall hear nothing about obstruction or delay of Public Business. Here was an opportunity when Government Business might have come on; it is always possible, under these circumstances, that Government Business might come on. From my recollection and experience, I say that the right hon. Gentleman has 910 for the first time thrown overboard a rule with reference to the business of this House, which has been constantly accepted. I am afraid, Sir, this doctrine which the right hon. Gentleman has now laid down will not tend to facilitate Public Business.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOUROf course, I entirely accept the responsibility of the Government to keep a House if there is any chance of Government Business coming on, and, therefore, the remark with regard to obstruction of business hardly comes in. I also recognise the duty of the Government to make a House on Friday night when we take a Morning Sitting; then I agree that it is the duty of the Government to make a House for the private Members who have given up part of their time for Government Business.
§ DR. CAMERONI beg to give notice that when it is intended to set up Supply, after these counts out, I shall certainly oppose the Motion, and that will afford an opportunity which I have not had to-day to show that there was ample opportunity for Scotch business to be taken and disposed of on Friday night.
§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Supplementary Estimates are not printed; and will he also say whether, in case it should appear that there is any item likely to cause much discussion, he will not insist on keeping it on the Paper?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI understand they will be distributed to-morrow, which will give ample time for hon. Members to make themselves acquainted with the items proposed to be taken. I should doubt if there is any item likely to give rise to controversy, except the Vote for the East African Railway.