§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)I wish to ask the Leader of the House, with reference to his motion for the suspension of the Twelve o'clock Rule, whether it is to be understood that no further progress will be made with the Budget resolutions than such as is absolutely necessary for fiscal reasons. The House knows that there are certain resolutions which must be passed this evening for the purpose of saving the interests of the Exchequer. Will the progress this evening be confined to a resolution, or resolutions, of that nature? If the resolutions are passed this evening, of course it will be understood that the full right of the House will be reserved to reconsider the subject and pronounce an opinion at a later stage.
§ COLONEL MILWARD (Warwickshire, Stratford-on-Avon)May I at the same time ask what the future course of business will be?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe House is aware that there are certain resolutions which must be passed this evening for fiscal reasons, and it has been the uni- 610 versal practice in consequence of that fact to suspend the Twelve o'clock Rule on the night upon which the Budget is introduced. My right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be glad if, in addition to the absolutely necessary resolutions, he can also obtain a resolution for a loan. The House will have an opportunity to discuss the resolutions in the fullest measure. It has always been considered the best practice not to discuss the Budget on the night it is introduced, but to reserve the full discussion of principles for the Second Reading and the full discussion of details for the Committee stage of the Finance Bill. I hope that this practice will be followed by the House on the present occasion. There will probably be resolutions to be disposed of after the House rises, and I propose to take those to-morrow. If the discussion of them does not last the whole evening, the other business taken will be the Committee stage of the Demise of the Crown Bill and the Committee stage of the Army Annual Bill. On Monday I shall ask the leave of the House to take Tuesday morning sittings until Whitsuntide, and the first Order of the day will be the moving of the Speaker out of the Chair on the Civil Service Estimates.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANWhen will the resolutions be reported?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI will arrange about that.
§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)May I be allowed to respectfully represent to the right hon. Gentleman that the proposal to take on Monday the resolution with reference to Tuesdays is in the nature of a breach of the understanding which the Government arranged with the Irish Members that the first business to be transacted, either on the Friday, or, if fiscal business was not finished, on Monday, was the moving the Speaker out of the Chair on the Civil Service Estimates, so as to enable a discussion to be taken on the important question of University education in Ireland. A discussion on the motion to take Tuesdays until Whitsuntide will necessarily be a long one, and I would ask the right hon. 611 Gentleman to postpone the taking of the motion about Tuesdays, in order that the original understanding may be adhered to.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Member needs no assurance from me that I have not the least desire to curtail the important discussion which he wishes to initiate; but, unless I put down the motion on Monday, how am I to obtain the morning sitting on Tuesday?
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDPut it down to-morrow; I do not care when it is taken so long as it is not at a time which would result in a breach of the clear understanding between us and the Government.
§ MR. DILLONAs a point of order, may I ask whether it would be open for the right hon. Gentleman to put a motion of this kind before Supply on one of the allotted days?
§ * MR. SPEAKERA motion of this kind would not prevent Friday being an allotted day, but I understand it is not to be treated as an allotted day.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt is not an allotted day. I will put down this motion for to-morrow instead of Monday.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIn reference to the motion standing in the name of the right hon. Gentleman, may I call attention to a point of order affecting the money resolution in respect of the loan in Committee of Ways and Means? I submit that the resolution affecting the Loan Bill cannot be dealt with in the same Committee of Ways and Means as deals with the Budget resolutions.
§ * MR. SPEAKERIt is perhaps anticipating what the Chairman of Ways and Means may have to decide, but, as I understand, the resolution which the Chancellor of the Exchequer will
§ propose relating to the loan will be a resolution in Committee of Ways and Means.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYDoes the Chancellor of the Exchequer propose to set up a separate Committee of Ways and Means distinct from the Committee on the Budget resolutions?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHI understand that the loan resolution is to be treated as one of the resolutions depending on the Budget.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWill there not be two Bills?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHThe resolution for the loan can be taken in the same Committee of Ways and Means.
§ * MR. SPEAKERThere is but one Committee of Ways and Means, and when the House is in Committee of Ways and Means it can entertain any motion appropriate to Ways and Means. It is not necessary to give notice of the terms of the Loan resolution.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYHas a Committee of Ways and Means ever started two Bills? It has never been done.
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHTo the best of my recollection it was done last year.