BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.

HC Deb 23 May 1892 vol 4 cc1533-6

LORD H. BRUCE (Wilts, Chippenham)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government will grant him any facilities to pass the Bill standing in the name of the hon. Member for North Wilts, as well as those of other Members of the House, to provide improved cottages, for rural labourers?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

In answer to the noble Lord I can only say that, although the subject is of great importance, I do not think it is possible in the present condition of Public Business to give special facilities for this Bill, or for other private Members' Bills.

MR. JOHN ELLIS

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, for the convenience of the House, he can now state when he proposes the adjournment of the House for and its re-assembling after Whitsuntide?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I think the most convenient course would be for the House to separate on the Friday before Whit Sunday. As to what day we shall re-assemble, that will largely depend on the progress we make with Public Business before the Recess.

MR. BRAND (Cambridge, Wisbech)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can now fix a date for the introduction of the Rating of Schools, Bill?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The Bill is now ready, and will be introduced in a day or two.

MR. H. GARDNER (Essex, Saffron Walden)

Will this Bill deal with the use of schools for public meetings?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

It will deal partly with the subject of the rating of schools and partly with the use of schools for public meetings.

MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate when he will bring in the Bill for securing the rights of the public to access to mountains and moorlands in Scotland, which Her Majesty's Government have undertaken to introduce?

*THE LORD ADVOCATE (SIR C. J. PEARSON,) Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities

The Bill will be brought in immediately.

MR. BRYCE

I must ask the Lord Advocate to give me some more specific reply than "immediately"—it adds nothing to the answer he gave me a week ago. If the right hon. Gentleman gives me no further answer, I must repeat the notice of my question. The right hon. Gentleman has been most evasive in his replies.

*SIR C. J. PEARSON

I hope to bring in the Bill this week, probably within the next two or three days.

MR. BARTLEY

I should like to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to take the Customs and Inland Revenue Bill, and whether he will give it an early place on the Paper, so that we may discuss the Income Tax?

*MR. GOSCHEN

I propose to take it this evening, as we can proceed with it after twelve o'clock. I could have taken it the other evening if I had been able to give sufficient notice to hon. Members; but I hope we shall make progress with it after twelve o'clock to-night.

MR. H. GARDNER

I should like to ask the First Lord of the Treasury when he intends to take the fourth stage of the Small Agricultural Holdings Bill?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

My present intention is to take the Report of the Small Agricultural Holdings Bill immediately after the Vote on Account, which, as hon. Members are aware, must be taken on Thursday. I thus propose, unless contingencies arise that are not at present contemplated, to take it on Friday.

MR. J. MORLEY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)

I should like to put a question to the First Lord of the Treasury with respect to what took place on Friday night. Practically there was no Motion down on the Paper, and it was understood that the night would be devoted to Government Business, particularly, I think, the Indian Councils Bill and the Inland Revenue Act. Under these circumstances, surely it was the business of the Government, as we certainly understood it was their intention, to see that a House was made. So many remarks are constantly made about the waste of time in this House that I think the Leader of the House owes some explanation of the failure of the Government to do what was obviously their duty.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The right hon. Gentleman is quite correct when he says that the Government desire to proceed with the Indian Councils Bill; but he is mistaken when he includes the Inland Revenue Bill. At nine o'clock, I regret to say, I was not present myself; but I am informed that there were thirty gentlemen who support the Government and two gentlemen who do not support the Government in attendance. The result was a "count," and some slight, though I hope not material, delay in the completion of the Government Business. I must recognise that when the Government take the Morning Sittings it is their duty to assist the House to form a quorum at nine o'clock; but they must receive some sort of co-operation from hon. Gentlemen opposite. The whole burden should not be left on the Government, and we can do little more than we did.

MR. JOHN ELLIS

As we are to have the Vote on Account on Thursday' when will the usual statement be available for Members?

SIR J. GORST

I will lay the Estimates on the Table to-night, and have them printed at once.

DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)

I should like to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether it is his intention to proceed to-night or at any future time with the Private Bill Procedure Bill?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I do not think there is any chance of reaching this Bill to-night, and I should be sorry to make any pledge now with regard to it.