§ MR. G. C. T. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with regard to the fact that up to the present time not one of the 115 Votes in Supply of the Civil Service and Revenue Departments Estimates, involving the expenditure of more than £32,700,000, raised by the taxation of the people, has been voted by this House, whether there is any precedent for this state of Supply on the 10th June, when the House has been sitting since the first week in February; and what steps the Government propose to take to secure due consideration of the expenditure on the Civil Service and Revenue Departments, without any further delay?
§ * THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir WILLIAM HARCOURT, Derby)I am afraid I cannot give a good account of the progress made in Civil Service Supply. But the nearest year I can give is that of 1887, when, on May 31, there had been one Vote taken in Civil Service Supply. In 1892, at the same date, there had also been one Vote taken in Civil Service Supply. We were unfortunate this year in requiring two days to get the Speaker out of the Chair, otherwise we might have equalled those years. I find that by June 30 in 1887 there had been six Votes taken. I hope by that date this year we shall equal that record. But the hon. Member asks me what steps the Government mean to take. Well, I hope, and expect, that we shall get more time. Then we shall get more Votes.
§ MR. BARTLEYasked, whether he was to understand that this was the worst year on record concerning Supply?
§ * THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERYes, by one Vote. If we look only at the Civil Service Estimates, the number of days devoted to Supply generally has not been less but greater than in many recent yeurs.
§ MR. BARTLEYThat was by May 31 in 1887? We have now reached June 10.
§ * THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERBut it is not easy to get Votes when the House is not sitting.
§ MR. BARTLEYDid not the House in that year rise for Whitsuntide?
§ [No further answer was returned.]