§ MR. WOOTTON ISAACSONI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether a Member of Parliament who, directly or indirectly himself, or by anyone in trust for him, undertakes any contract with a Government Department, is incapable of sitting or voting during the time he shall hold such contract, or any share thereof, or any benefit or emolument arising from the same?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE,) Edinburgh, MidlothianI have no authority to give an account of the state of the law, but what I understand to be the case is that any Member in such a position as is described in the question would find that his seat was made void, and that he himself was subject to penalties for sitting and voting.