HC Deb 17 February 1899 vol 66 c1290
MR. LOWLES

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if he will, for the general convenience of Members, cause the Answers to Questions to be posted in the Lobby or in the Library immediately after the Questions are disposed of at each sitting of the House?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

There are difficulties, I am afraid, in carrying out the suggestion of my honourable Friend. A similar suggestion was made last year, and it was found impossible to make it of general application. My right honourable Friend the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs has, I believe, made arrangements as far as his office is concerned that the answers he gives to Questions should be placed in the Library for the information of those who put them; but then that is a part of a scheme by which additional and subsidiary Questions are not answered the same day. If honourable Members desire to ask Ministers subsidiary Questions, it is quite clear it would be impossible to put in the Library of the House on the same day a record of the whole transaction.

MR. PIRIE

Cannot the original answers to Questions be placed in the Library?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

That would clearly be an imperfect account of what occurred.