HC Deb 08 March 1900 vol 80 cc463-4

On the motion for the adjournment of the House,

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

In moving the adjournment of the House perhaps I ought to make a very brief statement about business. The Navy Estimates have practically gone through to-night, and, as the House knows, to-morrow is allocated in the ordinary course to Supply. In order to meet the wishes of the hon. Gentlemen I have promised not to take Civil Service Estimates without giving a week's notice. Owing to the indisposition of my hon. friend the Under Secretary of State for War I am unable to take Army Estimates, and therefore it is absolutely impossible that Estimates should occupy our time to-morrow. There are some small Estimates we might deal with, such as have been left over from to-night, and the Ordnance Vote, but if I put those down first it would make to-morrow count as a day of Supply, which it certainly ought not to do, as those Estimates could not occupy the whole of the evening. I therefore propose to take Government Bills, and the Bills I shall put down will be in the following order: First, the next stage of the Police Reservists (Allowances) Bill; second, Census (Great Britain) Bill; third, Factories and Workshops Bill, Second Reading; and fourth, Lunacy Board (Scotland) (Salaries, etc.) Bill. After that I shall put down the Ordnance Vote and the remaining Votes of the Navy Estimates.

MR. BUCHANAN

pointed out that the Factories and Workshops Bill was only issued that morning, and he had quite incidentally discovered that it affected the whole fishing industry of Scotland. Surely it was only reasonable that the community at large should have some opportunity of mastering the contents of the Bill before the Second Reading.

MR. GALLOWAY (Manchester, S.W.)

, Sir WALTER FOSTER (Derbyshire, Ilkeston), and Sir F. S. POWELL (Wigan) also asked that longer notice should be given.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

replied that while he entirely appreciated the remarks of hon. Members, it had to be borne in mind that at the Second Reading stage only the broad principles of the Bill would be dealt with. He would put the Bill down for Friday, and he hoped hon. Members would endeavour to come prepared to discuss those broad principles.

Adjourned at ten minutes after Twelve of the clock