§ CAPTAIN SINCLAIR (Forfar)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether any day nest week will be devoted to Scottish business, and whether he can 846 say now which day, and what business will then be taken?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI hope to be able to devote next Tuesday to Scottish business. The first Measure will be the local taxation Resolution, the second the Parish Churches Bill, and the third the Measure relating to attendance of children at school.
§ SIR W. HARCOURT (Monmouthsire, W.)Perhaps it would be convenient if the right honourable Gentleman would state what he proposes to take on Monday and also on Friday?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI propose to put down as the first order on Monday the London University Bill; the second, the Bill introduced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer—the Colonial Loans Bill. I propose to devote Thursday and Friday to Supply. It is a matter of indifference to the Government which of those two days is allocated to the Home Office Vote. I had thought Thursday would be most convenient, but I am quite ready to make it Friday.
§ SIR W. HARCOURTWill it be the first order?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI should desire to take one or two uncontroversial Revenue Votes first, but I imagine that in any case the bulk of the evening will be devoted to the Home Office Vote.
§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)Has the right honourable Gentleman made arrangements for the Board of Trade Vote?
§ SIR W. HARCOURTThere is a general opinion that a day should be given to the Home Office Vote, and I hope the right honourable Gentleman will take away nothing from it. It is an important Vote of domestic interest, and has had no time given it yet, although the War Office has had three days.
§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)Perhaps the right honourable Gentleman will say whether, seeing the great changes that have taken place this year with respect to the Army, and the still more important changes likely to occur 847 in the near future, as foreshadowed by the Secretary of State for War, he will consider the advisability of affording the House an early opportunity for the consideration of the new policy?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI entirely recognise that the Home Office Vote ought to have really the substantial part of the evening, and it is a mistake to suppose that I ever intended to carve out any part of the sitting for any other controversial Votes. I ought, however, to correct an error into which the right honourable Gentleman has fallen. There has been considerable discussion on the Home Office Vote, but I am aware that circumstances have arisen since that discussion which make it peculiarly necessary that some Parliamentary time should be devoted to their consideration. With regard to the War Office, the desire is to take the Army Estimates first on Friday, but it will not be possible to give more than half the evening to those Estimates. The Post Office must be considered, and the Post Office Votes will come second on that day.
§ MR. BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield)On what day is it proposed to take the Third Reading of the Vaccination Bill?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI cannot fix a day at present.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYIt will not be taken next week.
§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)When will the Teachers' Superannuation Bill be taken?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYIt is down for Monday.
§ MR. GEDGE (Walsall)Can the Vaccination Bill be printed before Third Reading?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI do not think it is usual to reprint a Bill at this stage, nor do I believe that any of the alterations made are of a kind which escape the memory 848 of my honourable Friend, or that it would be necessary for him to see them in print in order to give us the benefit of his experience on the Third Reading.