§ MR. DALZIELI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether he can now state when the correspondence in regard to prison-made goods will be circulated; and, what is the cause of the delay?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. RITCHIE,) CroydonI am unable to name a date. We are waiting for a reply from Germany.
§ SIR HOWARD VINCENTI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, if he can now see his way to translating the sympathy frequently expressed by him on behalf of the Government in favour of the Importation of Prison Goods Bill into action, enabling it to be brought forward?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI have to say, in answer to my hon. Friend, that the prospects of public business do not seem to have improved since I last gave him an answer on this Question, and I am therefore afraid that my answer to-day will not be of a more favourable character.
§ SIR HOWARD VINCENTI would ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in view of the unsatisfactory nature of the answer, and having regard to the emphatic declarations of Her Majesty's Ministers on this subject both in the House and the country [Opposition cheers], especially the election, address of the President of the Board of Trade—[Opposition cheers and Ministerial laughter]—he will undertake, on behalf of the Government, to introduce a Bill on this important subject early next Session, instead of leaving it to the accident of the ballot of a private Member?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI am not aware of any obstacle to this House carrying out every single pledge given by every Minister, except the conversational powers of the House itself. [Laughter].
§ SIR HOWARD VINCENTI beg to give notice that I shall raise the question on a future occasion. [Opposition cheers.]