HC Deb 18 June 1896 vol 41 cc1339-40
MR. HENRY BROADHURST (Leicester)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will consider the advisability of permanently dividing the Session into two parts, one to commence at the end of February and adjourn before the end of June, resume in October, and close before Christmas? I should also like to call the attention of the right hon. Gentleman to a reply to a similar Question given by Mr. Gladstone on June 25, 1883. [Cries of "Order!"] It is for the purpose of supplementing the Question. [Renewed cries of "Order!"] After giving an historical review——

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!The hon. Gentleman may ask if the right hon. Gentleman has had his attention directed to a reply previously given to a similar Question.

MR. BROADHURST

May I quote the latter part of that answer—[Ministerial cries of "No!"]—for the purpose of asking whether the right hon. Gentleman will give a similar consideration to any expression of opinion by Members of the House?

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! The hon. Gentleman can do no more than ask whether the attention of the right hon. Gentleman has been called to the fact that a similar Question was answered by Mr. Gladstone.

MR. BROADHURST

Well, Sir, I must limit myself to that, I fear. I will ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has been called to the fact that a reply was given by Mr. Gladstone to a similar Question on June 25, in the Session of 1883?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.

My attention has not been called to the Question to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but I shall be glad to look at it afterwards. Not having seen it, at present I am afraid I cannot avail myself of the answer Mr. Gladstone gave on that occasion. But I do see two objections. I am not quite sure what plan the hon. Gentleman proposes. If he proposes that the two halves of the Session should compulsorily end at given dates, that is open, I think, to the objection, as I am informed—in these matters I am a child—[laughter]—that if Gentlemen who disapprove of the legislative Measures before the House wish to prolong discussion upon them they are encouraged to do that by knowing that the Session will come to an end at a certain date. [Cheers and laughter.] If, on the other hand, the hon. Gentleman does not propose to fix absolutely the date at the end of June and Christmas time—[Mr. BROADHURST: "No!"]—then I think if the House of Commons were blessed with an eloquent Opposition there would be very little interval between the two Sessions. ["Hear, hear!"]