BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 17 May 1897)

§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT (Monmouthshire, W.)
, who was received with cheers on his return after indisposition, said: I wish to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he proposes to take the Budget discussion on Thursday next?

§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY
Yes, Sir; I hope to take the Budget discussion on Thursday, but I could not put it down as the first Order. The first Order will be the Elementary Education Act (1870) Amendment Bill, which I have some reason to hope will not take long.

§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY
said he could not give a pledge to take every stage of the Workmen (Compensation for Accidents) Bill before proceeding with the Criminal Evidence Bill. He would, however, give as full notice as he could of the time when the later Bill would be brought on again.

§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY
said he believed that the Motion he had on the Paper covered the financial part of the Workmen (Compensation for Accidents) Bill. He should move the suspension of the Twelve o'clock Rule Tomorrow night, so that the Bill might be got through. It was not his intention to take the finance part of the Bill on Wednesday. He moved:— That, whenever the Workmen (Compensation for Accidents) Bill is appointed for Tuesday, the House do meet at Three of the clock, and the proceedings on the Bill do have precedence of the Notices of Motions and the other Orders of the Day; and that the said Bill do have precedence on Wednesday, whenever it is appointed for that day.

MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)
said the House might be aware that he had a Motion down with reference to Crown lands as the first Order for To-morrow. He should be glad if Tomorrow could be spared for a discussion on a question which had a great interest for Wales.

§ MR. LEONARD COURTNEY (Bodmin, Cornwall)
said he did not rise to criticise or oppose this Motion. He wished merely to ask his right hon. Friend to make some statement as to the Wednesdays after Whitsuntide. There were two or three Bills of private Members which had made progress, and which were now down for days after Whitsuntide. He hoped his right hon. Friend in his Motion did not wish to prevent the possibility of these Bills being dealt with after Whitsuntide.

MR. BRYNMOR JONES
pointed out that the greatest interest was taken in Wales with regard to the Welsh Land Bill.

§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY
said he could not give any specific pledge as to the Wednesdays after Whitsuntide, but he quite recognised that the object of the Standing Order was to give a chance to private Bills which had made some progress in the earlier period of the Session; and that the spirit of the Standing Order had been usually translated by successive Leaders of the House into an arrangement by which two Wednesdays would be given for private Members' Bills. He should be very sorry indeed if it was found necessary to depart from that general precedent.