§ SIR JOHN COLOMBI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the proposed revival of a salary attached to the office of Lord Privy Seal, he can give an assurance that before the Vote is taken an opportunity will be afforded to the House other than that under provisions of Standing Order No. 50, to discuss the expediency of rearranging the salaries of Ministers of the Crown, and of considering the existing circumstances under which the Lord President of the Privy Council, with a salary borne by Civil Service Estimates, is specially employed as President of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet in discharging duties of great importance in relation to the security of the Empire in war.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am afraid I should hardly be justified in giving ray lion, and gallant friend the special facilities next session that he asks for in order to carry out the rather wide subject of discussion he proposes. I may point out, as regards the last part of this question, that the principle therein laid down is one that could hardly be accepted by the House, for it seems to be matter of unimportance upon what kind of Vote the salary is borne of a Minister who is asked to serve on the Committee of the Cabinet. The Defence Committee is only a Cabinet committee, as I have before explained to the House, and I think it should be treated as such.