§ MR. TENNANT (Berwickshire)Can the First Lord of the Treasury say what will be the business next Thursday?
MR. ARNOLDFORSTERMay I ask, at the same time, when the Shipbuilding Vote, and the Vote for the Secretary of State for War, will be taken?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURWe have recently discussed the salary of the Secretary of State for War, and I do not imagine that we shall be able to take either of the Votes mentioned by the Member for West Belfast before Whitsuntide. I am unwilling to pledge myself on the point, as it is important to leave open to us the opportunity of taking any Vote we choose, and I therefore do not care to say anything definite for more than a week in advance. I may say with regard to the business that the Australian Commonwealth Bill will be first Order on Monday next, and I think I shall put down as second Order a motion for taking Tuesday mornings until Whitsuntide for Government business. If that motion is carried I shall take the Second Reading of the Ecclesiastical Assessment (Scotland) Bill on Tuesday morning. On Thursday I propose to take the Report of the Railways (Prevention of Accidents) Bill as the first Order, as it will, I understand, by that time have come down from the Grand Committee. On the Friday I hope to take the Scotch Estimates.
§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)I do not know whether the right hon. 1259 Gentleman is in a position to go a little further and toll us about the following week. It would be a great convenience to the Irish Members if he were able to announce when Irish business will be taken. In addition to the Irish Estimates there are two Bills I want to know about —the Charitable Loans Bill and the Tithes Bill. Possibly the former, which requires a certain amount of discussion, could be taken in the same week as the Irish Estimates. But as to the latter, it is a contentious Bill, which will require a considerable time to discuss, and it would be more convenient if that were not taken until after Whitsuntide.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am unwilling to give the wide pledge asked for by the hon. Member with regard to the Tithes Bill until I have had time to consider the matter. In reply to the remainder of his question I have to say that, in the week after next, Monday will be devoted to the Second Reading of the Australian Commonwealth Bill, and if that stage is passed in a single sitting—as I hope—on the Tuesday morning the Charitable Loans (Ireland) Bill will be the first Order, and Irish Supply the second Order; and Thursday and Friday of that week I propose also to devote to Irish Supply.
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDI will repeat my question as to the Tithes Bill two or three days hence. May I now ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland what he intends to do with regard to the two Irish Education Bills? When will they be introduced?
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe Intermediate Education Bill and the Elementary Schools Bill will, I trust, prove to be non-controversial, and my intention is to introduce them under the Ten Minutes rule on Tuesday next.
§ MR. HALDANE (Haddingtonshire)When will the Factory Bill be taken? Will it be before Whitsuntide?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt cannot, at any rate, be taken in the next two weeks, and I think its chances of being taken before Whitsuntide are very meagre.