HC Deb 01 July 1896 vol 42 cc511-2

On the Motion, "That this House do now adjourn."

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

said: I think it may be for the convenience of the House if I state that at the commencement of public business to-morrow the Scottish Rating Bill will lie introduced. The next Order will be the Uganda Railway Resolution. Then there will be a small Resolution in Ways and Means, which it was necessary to pass before the Finance Bill can be proceeded with. Then the Coal Mines Regulation Bill and the Light Railways Bill will be taken.

MR. J. H. DALZIEL (Kirkcaldy Burghs)

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman did not think that he was straining the Rules of the House to an enormous extent in placing the Scottish Rating Bill under the Standing Order which limited the Debate upon it to two speeches. The Bill dealt with a very large question in Scotland—namely, that which related to congested districts. The Bill also dealt with the subject of the Land Tax. It was really three Bills in one. He did not think that it was wise to limit the discussion upon such a Measure to one speech on each side.

MR. HENRY BROADHURST (Leicester)

and MR. JOHN ELLIS (Nottingham, Rushcliffe) appealed to the right hon. Gentleman to give a better place on the Orders to the Coal Mines Regulation Bill.

MR. THOMAS ELLIS (Merionethshire)

asked what was the nature of the small Resolution in Ways and Means to which the right hon. Gentleman had referred?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

The Resolution in Ways and Means is of a most trifling character. It has been discovered that manufactured cocoa in some form or another gets into the market without paying duty, and the sole object of the Resolution is to remedy that. I am extremely anxious to get the Coal Mines Regulation Bill through. The only Bills before it on the Orders for To-morrow are the Scottish Rating Bill, which cannot by the Rules take up much time, and the formal stage of the Uganda Railway Resolution, upon which I do not anticipate there will be much discussion. Therefore, if the Coal Mines Regulation Bill is not reached before the dinner hour it will be the fault of hon. Gentlemen opposite. With regard to the Scotch Rating Bill, it is important that there shall be no delay in its introduction, so that adequate time may be given for the people of Scotland to consider its provisions. The only controversial parts of the Bill have been discussed ad nauseam on the English Bill.

MR. DALZIEL

said that, in his opinion, the whole of the Bill was controversial.

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

I do not believe that the rest of the Bill is controversial.

House adjourned at One minute before Six o'clock.