§ MR. W. F. D. SMITH (Westminster, Strand)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce a Measure for the better provision of Local Government in London in the course of the present Session; and, if not, whether the Government will undertake to bring in such a measure at the earliest possible date in the next Session of Parliament in this House?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYAs my honourable Friend is aware, I gave a pledge to the House last Monday, when asking for special privileges for Government business, to the effect that I would not press forward any Bill not yet introduced that was likely to lead to controversy. I am afraid that the Measure which my honourable Friend alludes to comes within that category, and therefore, even if introduced in the course of the present Session, there will be no prospect of its being passed into law. I therefore think it would probably be advisable to defer to next Session its introduction, but I am quite ready to give the undertaking which my honourable Friend asks for in the last part of his Question.