§ COLONEL MILWARD (Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been directed to the fact that upon the Report stage of the Benefices Bill 99 Amendments were placed upon the Notice Paper, and 49 speeches were made by Members of the Grand Committee who had had previous opportunities of considering the Bill in Committee; and also to the fact that 52 Amendments upon the Report stage of the Agricultural Rating Bill were identical with Amendments in Committee 935 upon the Bill; and whether, under these circumstances he will consider the desirability of an alteration in the procedure of the House?
THE FIRST LORD or THE TREASURYsaid he was aware that a certain amount of abuse had crept in in using the facilities for Debate afforded on the Report stage of Bills in the House, and the figures the hon. Member had given as to the Amendments to the Benefices Bill and the Agricultural Rating Bill at the Report stage amply proved that such abuse had taken place. But he was not prepared at that moment to suggest a remedy.