§ MR. MACNEILLI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, having regard to the fact that the Prime Minister is also one of the principal Secretaries of State, and that the duties of any one of the five principal Secretaries of State can be constitutionally discharged by the other principal Secretaries of State, any arrangement, and, if so, what arrangement has been made, having regard to the critical aspect of foreign relations, for the discharge of duties relating to the department of Foreign Affairs heretofore discharged by Lord Salisbury al the Foreign Office, in his absence from this country; on whom do the duties and responsibilities of Lord Salisbury, in his capacity of Prime Minister and chief of the Cabinet, devolve in his absence from this country; what is the nature of the responsibility of the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, having regard to the fact that he is not a Minister of the Crown?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYThere is no change in the duties or responsibilities of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary at the present time—[laughter]—and, as regards the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, his position is precisely the same as that of all his predecessors in that office. [Laughter and cheers.]
§ MR. MACNEILLWere all his predecessors Ministers of the Crown, or were they appointed by letter of the gentlemen 299 who were Secretaries of State for the time? That is an easy Question. [Laughter.]
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYIf the hon. Gentleman is making researches in constitutional law, I think he had better address his Question to the Attorney General. [Ministerial laughter and cheers.]