§ MR. DAVID THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he can state the amount of expenses incurred by local authorities and railway and other companies in promoting and opposing Private Bills before Parliament, from 1892 to 1895, both inclusive, for England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales (including Monmouthshire), respectively; (2) whether, before the Measure named in the Queen's Speech for amending the existing procedure with respect to Private Bills coining from Scotland and Ireland 1519 is submitted to the House, he will give a Return in continuation of Parliamentary Papers, No. 356 of Session 1892, and No. 98 of Session 1893–4; and (3) whether, in the Bill to be introduced, the Government will consider the advisability of making its provisions applicable to Bills coming from Wales?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI am afraid I cannot give the hon. Member this information; nor do I see my way clear to granting the Return he asks for, having regard to the very great labour which its preparation would involve and to the fact that there is no reason for supposing that there has been any material change in the circumstances since the last Return was granted. As regards the last paragraph of his Question, I must refer him to the Leader of the House.