§ MR. EGERTON (Cheshire, Knutsford)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Dr. Bell and Mr. Bannister, the chief and assistant chemists at Somerset House, have resigned; whether it is true that the post of chief chemist at Somerset House has been offered to Professor W. Noel Hartley, and what his qualification is as an analytical chemist; and whether he will, before filling up the appointment, consider the advisability of appointing a person who has had practical experience in analytical chemistry?
§ SIR W. HARCOURTI think it is a pity that lion. Members, before putting questions of this kind, do not take some pains to ascertain the facts. The answer to the question is this. Neither Dr. Bell nor Mr. Bannister has resigned, and the post referred to has not been offered to Professor Hartley.
§ MR. EGERTONI desire to ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether, when one sees a statement in the public Press, it is not competent for a Member to ask a public official whether or not it is correct?
§ MR. SPEAKERI have always done my utmost to discourage the practice of asking questions based on statements that appear in the public Press. It is desirable that hon. Members should undertake the responsibility for the questions thus put.