HC Deb 10 May 1897 vol 49 cc120-1
THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

moved: "That, unless the House otherwise order, the House do meet on Tuesdays at two of the clock." He said: I think on all sides of the House it will be felt that Tuesdays ought to be more utilised than they are at present for getting through the necessary business of the Session. Some of my critics might say that I ought to take the whole of Tuesdays, and it is not impossible that at a later date I may have to come to this House and ask for such facilities; but I am reluctant to do so. I therefore content myself now with proposing this Resolution, which is moved this year at a later period than in the previous Session. There have been several Tuesdays of late during the earlier part of which we have had some interesting discussions, and during the remainder of which the House enjoyed a greater amount of leisure than usual. I hope the House will feel that we are making no undue call on the time of private Members when we come on May 12 to ask them to give up some part of their privileges.

MR. SYDNEY GEDGE (Walsall)

said he would much rather that the Government should ask the House to give up the whole of Tuesday than that they should inflict upon hon. Members the burden of morning sittings. These morning sittings were all very well for Members from Ireland who came over here and left their businesses behind them, and also for Members from Scotland; but for commercial and professional men in London they were very objectionable. They found it almost impossible to attend them, and he was afraid his right hon. Friend must make up his mind to see the Government ma- jority somewhat reduced on these occasions. He would far rather see private Members killed than compelled to commit suicide. What hon. Members having been in the House from two o'clock to seven would take the trouble to come down again at nine o'clock for private Members' business? He thought private Members might have a little more consideration shown to them in those matters. What the constituencies really wanted was the Bills introduced by private Members, and yet the Bill promoted by his hon. Friend the Member for East Somerset was counted out the other night when there were enough Members of the Government behind the Speaker's chair to make a House. ["Hear, hear!"] For these reasons he certainly hoped the Government would very soon take the whole of Tuesdays.

Motion agreed to.