SCOTTISH LEGISLATION. (Hansard, 26 February 1894)

§ DR. MACGREGOR
I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will consider the expediency of introducing next Session a Bill to entitle Scotland to manage and control her local affairs; whether he is aware that many Scotsmen and Scottish Members believe that this would be a preferable way of dealing with Scottish business to its 1044 devolution on a Grand Committee of this House; and, seeing the backward state of Scottish legislation and the congested condition of the Imperial Parliament, he will devise some speedy way out of the difficulty?

§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONE
It is somewhat too early for any Member of the Government to undertake to give a binding engagement as to the Bills to be introduced in the coming Session by the Government, but as to this particular Bill I have only two things to say. I do not think that any prospect of the introduction of such a Bill on the responsibility of the Government could with propriety be held out, and I may also remind my hon. Friend that we are distinctly pledged to bring under the notice of the House of Commons—I hope the favourable notice—a plan for giving more effective consideration to Scotch measures by referring them to a Grand Committee constituted for the purpose. But as the Bill indicated, I cannot hold out any expectation; and I have not yet had any evidence laid before me, as stated by my hon. Friend, that such a measure is desired by any large number of Scotch Members.

§ DR. MACGREGOR
May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is aware that there is a limit to the patience even of long-suffering Scotchmen?

§ MR. RATHBONE (Carnarvonshire,) Arfon
May I ask if the right hon. Gentleman will give the same advantage to Welsh measures as he has promised to Scotch?

§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONE
I should be very glad indeed, after we have seen what practical progress can be made with Scotch measures, to consider what better provision may be made for Welsh measures, for it will be felt that the claims of Wales should not be left to stand in a worse position.

§ MR. TOMLINSON (Preston)
May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, as the claims of every nationality except one appear to have been favourably considered by the Government, whether he is going to make similar provision for English Bills?