§ DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether it is not the fact that progress is usually reported after Vote 1 of the Army Estimates has been passed, and whether he is aware that, acting on this understanding, hon. Members interested in Vote 2 had left the House before it came on; and whether, under these circumstances, he will take the Report stage of Vote 2 at such an hour as to admit of moderate discussion?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI think the hon. Member is not correct in saying it is contrary to the practice of the House to take more than Vote 1 in Commiteee. It is not often the Government have to go beyond Vote 1 at a single sitting. We should not be acting in accordance with the principles we laid down when Fridays were devoted to Supply if we moved the Adjournment directly Vote 1 was obtained. What happened was—the Chairman put the succeeding Votes from the Chair on Friday, and directly the Under Secretary for 415 War signified that he thought it convenient that the Adjournment should be moved, I at once assented on the part of the Government.
§ *SIR G. DILKEasked what Supply would be taken on Friday, and whether the Leader of the House would move that the Speaker leave the Chair on Thursday or Friday.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYOn Friday we shall take the Civil Service Estimates for the year and go into Committee upon them. The first Business on Thursday will be the First Reading of the Military Loans Bill. [Opposition cries of "Oh!"] That is my intention at present.