§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)I wish to ask the First Lord of the Treasury a Question, of which I have given him private notice—namely, whether in relation to the Scotch Private Bill Procedure Bill, which is on the Orders for Thursday, opportunity will be given for debating the Amendment of which I have given notice—namely, that on the Select Committee to which the Bill is to be referred there shall be a predominance of Scotch Members?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)I think that it is necessary that we should decide this question of referring the Private Bill Procedure (Scotland) Bill to the Standing Committee, for it has been on the Paper for a great length of time, and the usual privilege of allowing uncontroversial matters to proceed after 12 o'clock has not been accorded to it. Under the circumstances, I propose to ask the House to take it as the first business on Thursday.
§ MR. PIRIEPerhaps I may be allowed to explain, as I was referred to yesterday by the First Lord of the Treasury as having persistently blocked the Motion after midnight, that I have only been in a position to do so on two occasions during the five or six weeks the Bill has been on the Paper.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI never referred to the honourable Member.