§ DR. MACGREGOR (Inverness-shire)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will consider the expediency of proceeding with the Scotch Registration Bill, independently of the English Bill, the former being less contentious in its character than the latter?
§ SIR H. MAXWELL (Wigton)On a point of Order, I beg to ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether the concluding part of the question does not include controversial matter?
§ *MR. SPEAKERIt would be well if the words ''the former being less contentious in its character than the latter" were omitted.
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEMy hon. Friend is aware that our desire is that this Bill should be further considered and passed; but my opinion is that our best course is to keep it as nearly pari passu with the English Bill as we can, and in company, with the English Bill. I do not think there would be any advantage in discussing the main provisions of the Scotch Bill before they have been discussed in the English Bill; but if we can discuss them in the English Bill, then the difficulty with regard to the Scotch Bill will disappear.