§ MR. BUCHANAN (Aberdeenshire, E.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether for general convenience he could arrange that when Committee of the whole House is set up to authorise the payment of money out of the Exchequer preparatory to the introduction of a Bill or other Parliamentary proceedings the terms of the Motion to be submitted in Committee should be placed on the Paper?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYThe Question correctly sets out the existing practice. With regard to the Resolution moved by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Monday, precedent was strictly followed. I believe that the practice occasionally leads to inconvenience. Still I am not sure we ought to touch one part of the peculiar Rules relating to the introduction of Money Bills without reviewing the whole procedure. I am not sure that the procedure does not need reviewing, and when the time arrives for doing it this point shall be duly noted.
§ MR. JOHN ELLISAs a matter of fact, is not the Resolution sometimes so long that it is impossible to follow it when it is merely read from the Chair? Did not the Chancellor of the Exchequer consent to the Resolution of the Irish Local Government Bill being postponed because even he had not apprehended its full bearing and significance?
MR. GIBSON BOWLESIs the right honourable Gentleman aware that the practice forms no part of the Standing Orders? Is it not merely a question of practice? Could not the sum be put on 646 the Notice Paper? When the Indian Loan Bill was set up we had no idea of the sum asked for.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYMy honourable Friend is perfectly right in saying it is not a question of the Standing Orders, and that it is one of practice. Still I do not think we can modify the practice of the House without reviewing the whole subject. Any alteration of the Rules by which Money Bills are introduced might greatly extend the scope and means of discussion. That may be good or it may be bad, but to ask me to increase still further the opportunities for discussion without considering the whole question is, I think, asking too much.
MR. SWIFT MACNEIILL (Donegal, S.)Perhaps the right honourable Gentleman will give instructions to the gentlemen who draft these Resolutions to make them understandable of the people.