HC Deb 05 December 1893 vol 19 cc492-3
MR. GOSCHEN

I wish to ask a question with regard to the East India Loan Bill. The Chancellor of the Exchequer was good enough last night to state that the Parish Councils Bill might be stopped at 11 o'clock this evening in order to take the Report stage of this Resolution. I am bound to say that the feeling among my hon. Friends is that this would scarcely give time for the consideration of the subject on that stage. Much, of course, will depend on the time allowed for the Second Reading. I am sure the right hon. Gentleman would regret if we did not finish Report on the evening it is taken, and I would suggest that the Government should take the Report stage about a quarter to 11 o'clock, and that the Second Reading of the Bill should be put down for some other day as the first Order.

SIR W. HARCOURT

I understood that the Debate was to be taken on the Report stage, but now I gather that the desire is to have the statement of the Under Secretary for India so that the House may be able to consider it, and then to debate the question on the Second Reading of the Bill. That is a very reasonable view, because in a complicated matter of this kind it is not easy to debate it on the first view of the plan. The Government, on this understanding, and desiring to economise time, think it would not be necessary to have a long discussion on the Report stage. I propose in these circumstances that the statement should be made at 11 o'clock; but I must reserve the question as to the time when the Second Reading stage shall be taken. The Government will try to arrange a day most convenient to hon. Members.

MR. GOSCHEN

By the indulgence of the House I should like to say I should be perfectly satisfied with that arrangement if it were certain that the Second Reading of the Bill would be taken so as to give hon. Members on this side really ample time to consider it. I do not feel that I should be able to persuade hon. Members to forego their right of Debate on the Report stage unless there was an opportunity of full consideration on the Second Reading of the Bill. I am anxious to assist the Government in this matter, and I invite the right hon. Gentleman to say now that the Second Reading will be taken as the first Order of the Day, so that the Government statement may be made as late as a quarter past 11 o'clock. I am anxious to facilitate and not obstruct Business.

SIR W. HARCOURT

I accept what the right hon. Gentleman has said in the same spirit. I think he will admit that what he calls ample time must depend more or less on the character of the statement. After the Report is taken and the statement made, the Government will consider what is the best arrangement which should be made. They do not desire to prevent a full and fair discussion of the question. I hope that that will be deemed satisfactory.