§ MR. HOWELL (Bethnal Green, N.E.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that the Statute Law Revision Bill has been before the House for a very considerable time, and that the Second Reading of that Bill is still delayed; whether he is aware that the sixth and seventh volumes of the Revised Statutes and the triennial 1768 volume of the Index is delayed in preparation and publication by the delays in the passing of the Statute Law Revision Bill; whether he is aware that for more than 30 years past these Bills have been passed by common consent as non-contentious measures; and whether, in view of the fact that a Committee of both Houses have examined the Bill and passed it, as well as the House of Lords, and that the Bill is drawn in accordance with the Report of the Select Committee which sat last year, he will appeal to hon. Members to pass the Bill without further delay?
§ MR. W.E. GLADSTONEwas understood to say that the Government had no power to secure the passing of the Bill in the face of opposition, although they shared most earnestly the hon. Member's desire that the Bill should become law without further delay.