HC Deb 19 June 1895 vol 34 c1509

Order for the Committee stage read.

MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)

said, that he heard that the Bill was to be put down for to-morrow. He took it that there was no intention of putting it down for discussion, in view of the promise of the Chancellor of the Exchequer that Papers should be laid upon the Table of the House concerning the matters dealt with in the Bill. It was quite impossible to discuss the Bill properly without those Papers.

THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. GREY, Northumberland, Berwick)

said, that was not his recollection of the promise of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. All that his right hon. Friend said was that the Government would see what Papers should be laid upon the Table. This must take some time, but it was necessary that all the stages of the Bill should be finished and the Bill passed into law before the end of the month. He would promise to furnish all the information he could, and he had no desire to press the Bill now, but he would guarantee, if hon. Members opposite wished it, that the Bill should be placed among the opposed business on the Paper to-morrow.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)

remarked that all the Papers could be printed in half a day.

SIR E. GREY

did not think so; and, even then, the Papers had to be circulated.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

asked whether hon. Members might see the manuscript?

SIR E. GREY

said, that he would defer any further answers till To-morrow.

Committee deferred until To-morrow.