MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)I wish to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he contemplates making any announcement in connection with the notice of motion on the Paper relating to blocking motions (Standing Order No. 17).
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have no announcement to make to the House. The question is much more complicated than the House seems to be aware of. The debate the other day* was sprung upon the Government and the House without any previous notice, neither did the right hon. Gentleman give notice of the present question. The whole debate on the adjournment before Easter proceeded on the assumption that the present practice arose out of a ruling of Mr. Speaker Peel's. That is not the case, for the practice is founded on one of the ancient and oft-repeated rules under which debates in the House are conducted.
MR. JAMES LOWTHERMy right hon. friend misunderstands my question. On the last occasion he indicated an intention to refer the subject to a Committee of Privileges. Does he contemplate dealing with this point by itself, or will he allow it to drift into the ruck of the wrangles respecting our procedure generally?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURWhat my right hon. friend calls an announcement was an observation I made in an impromptu debate that the matter might be dealt with in that way. I am not prepared without notice to make any announcement.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWill the right hon. Gentleman consider his own speech on the 1st March, 1897, on this subject?†
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am always ready to consider my own speeches.
* See The Parliamentary Debates [Fourth Series], Vol. lxxxi., p. 1414.† See The Parliamentary Debates [Fourth Series], Vol. xlvi., page 1348.