HC Deb 22 March 1894 vol 22 cc864-5
MR. CLANCY

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the new Registration Bill will apply to Ireland, or whether Irish Registration Law will be dealt with in a separate measure?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY,) Newcastle-upon-Tyne

I think it must be the desire of the Representatives of Ireland of all sections that the question of Irish registration should be dealt with in the measure that applies to England, and therefore the President of the Local Government Board will propose to introduce into the English measure a provision for the amendment of the Irish Registration Law. But I do not want to commit myself absolutely on the point.

MR. CARSON (Dublin University)

Upon what ground does the right hon. Gentleman state that this is the desire of all sections of the Irish Representatives? I am not aware that any opinion has been expressed on the point.

MR. J. MORLEY

I understood that that was so, but perhaps I have misunderstood the right hon. Gentleman and his friends.

MR. CARSON

And the hon. Member for Longford!

MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)

May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman has considered the fact that the Irish Registration Law is totally different from the English and the Scotch, and is most complicated at the present moment?

MR. J. MORLEY

The complication to which the hon. Member refers is a very good reason for trying to simplify the law. But I think the hon. Member should wait till he sees our attempt, and finds whether our provisions meet the Irish case before he takes objection.

MR. MACARTNEY

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the complication to which I have alluded is the result of attempting to amend the Irish Registration Law in English Acts?

MR. J. MORLEY

I am not aware of that.

MR. DARLING (Deptford)

I should like to ask whether the Bill will apply to England and to Ireland in the sense that it will establish the doctrine of one vote one value?

MR. J. MORLEY

The hon. Member must see that the time for raising questions of that kind is when the Bill is brought in.