§ MR. MACLEANI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that the Standing Committee on Law was unable, after waiting an hour, to form a quorum on Tuesday to discuss the Welsh Sunday Closing Bill, although a number of Members had been expressly added to the Committee for the purpose of taking this Bill into consideration; whether he has been informed that not a single representative of the Government was present on the occasion to tell the Committee whether the Bill will be proceeded with this session or not; and whether the Government will now state if it intends to pass the Bill into law this 647 session so as to save the time of the members of the Standing Committee on Law.
§ MR. ALFRED THOMAS (Glamorganshire, E.)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the question, I wish to ask whether he is aware that there is a very strong feeling in Wales in favour of the passing of the Bill?
§ MR. MACLEANIs the right hon. Gentleman also aware that there is a very strong feeling in Wales against the passing of the Bill?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have no information as to the position of the Standing Committee on Law, nor have I any official means of obtaining such information. As to the second part of the question, it would not be the business of any member of the Government at present on the Committee to announce the policy of the Government with regard to the allocation of time for the remainder of the session. I have already stated that it is impossible to give such privileges as are desired to contentious private Bills. The statements of these two Members prove that this is a controversial measure.