HC Deb 13 June 1901 vol 95 cc298-9
COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if a copy of the Return of 23rd May, touching the declarations of the heads of the States of Germany, United States, France, and Austro-Hungary has been forwarded to Lord Salisbury and to our various embassies, and if some effort in legislation will be made this session in order to assimilate the treatment of Roman Catholics under the Declaration to be made by the sovereign of this country to that accorded to Roman Catholics by the Declaration made on the accession of new chiefs in the Protestant German Empire, and to that given to Protestants in Roman Catholic France and Austro-Hungary, even if it is impossible to adopt the equality of the United States.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

It will not be possible, as legislation is arranged this session, to comply with the wish of the hon. Gentleman. The Committee, to which I have more than once referred, has now been appointed in another place.

COLONEL NOLAN

Will it have a chance of sitting and reporting in the next few months?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I cannot imagine that the investigation of the Committee will be of a very long character.

MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the House the names of the Committee?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I have been told them, but I have no note of them here. No doubt the information will be published to-morrow.