§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONE (Edinburgh, Midlothian)The Committee and Her Majesty's Government will feel at the present period of the Session, and in the circumstances of Parliament, that we have reached a point at which it is not unreasonable that the House should be desirous of further information in respect to the probable course of Business and intentions of the Government with regard to finance and its measures, and so far foreshadowing the probable termination of the Session, 1934 and what may follow their termination. We have reached a period of the evening at which I doubt whether there will be more time perhaps than to discuss the variety of subjects which we have notice hon. Members intend—and in many cases with good cause—to introduce to the notice of the Committee. I should be sorry to say or do anything that would in any way retard the progress of the financial business of the Government, and I would, therefore, venture to make a suggestion which I think might be for the convenience of the Committee. I believe that it is advisable that those Gentlemen who feel it necessary to call the attention of the House to special subjects should, as we have now reached 7 o'clock in the evening, have the field open to them for that purpose, so that I do not propose to enter upon any general question, or invite any general declaration from the Government on the present occasion. But I think the Committee will feel that the time is approaching when such a declaration may reasonably be expected. I do not desire them to name a particular opportunity or a particular date; but the time is approaching, and I am not so anxious for its early arrival as I am that the statement when delivered to the House should be so far as possible an explicit statement to enable us to form a fair and reasonable judgment upon what we have to expect. There will be no difficulty in finding opportunities for the purpose, and I can assure the right hon. Gentleman, that so far as I am concerned, in pointing to an eventual explanation of this kind, I do so not in the slightest degree with the idea or desire that it is likely to be made the subject of any prolonged Debate, but merely with the idea, on the other hand, that it may be simple and short, and that it will be greatly to the convenience and advantage of all portions of the House without any distinction of Party. I do not know whether the Government intend to follow up this Vote, if it is reported, with an Appropriation Bill. If they do, a stage of the Bill may offer a convenient opportunity at some future and not very distant date. If not, it may be found that there are demands by the Government for 1935 further appropriation of the time of the House, and there could be no difficulty by arrangement, and by a general amicable understanding, in thus making provision. I, therefore, confine myself at present to repeating that the time is coming, and I am sure the Government will feel it is so when some explicit information should be given to us as to the progress of public business, and the measures with which it is intended to persevere, and the probable time which those measures and proposals are likely to occupy. The time is coming—and when it does come it is not likely to fall into the category of what we call contentious matter—when an opportunity may very easily be arranged and full notice given to the House for such explanation as may be necessary. Perhaps when it does come it will be sufficient for the guidance of the House to reasonable and practical conclusions upon the future. I do not wish the Government to say now if they will do it on a particular day. I do not know precisely when the Whitsuntide recess is to commence, nor on what date it is likely to terminate—and I do not ask them to fix a particular day when this explanation is to be made; I only ask them to recognise it in principle, and to give the House an assurance that there will be no wilful loss of time in giving the explanation to the House, with a view to enable Members to form their judgment, and to enable the country also to form judgment upon pending events.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.I think we have reason to be grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for the moderation of the tone of his observations. He raises the view that the time is approaching when some explicit declaration on the part of the Government would be desirable in the public interest, and is to be expected by both sides of the House. And he does not propose to pin the Government down to a particular day or week, and he expresses his own opinion that at any rate the time cannot be far distant. Well, Sir, I agree with my right hon. Friend in the views he takes on this matter. I think with him that a proper 1936 occasion may be easily found, by mutual arrangement between the two sides of the House, when the statement he asks for may be given; and, in the meantime, following out the suggestion which he has hinted at, rather than explicitly made, it would, perhaps, be best to defer until that occasion arises any statement on the part of the Government with regard to the state of public Business.
§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)As we are now approaching the question of the Vote on Account I have a point to raise before the Committee deals with the Colonial Vote, and I am obliged to anticipate my hon. Friend.