§ MR. MALCOLM (Suffolk, Stowmarket)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been directed to a speech delivered by his predecessor in office, on 12th April, 1899, on the subject of fire brigades†; whether he has considered the Report of the Select Committee thereupon issued in July, 1900; and whether, having regard to the danger and anxiety caused by the existing state of fire defence, he is prepared to introduce a measure based upon the unanimous recommendation of that Select Committee.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)The Report of the Select Committee is receiving my consideration, but I cannot hold out any prospect of introducing a Bill on the subject during the present session.
§ MR. MALCOLMIf a Bill based on the unanimous recommendations of the Select Committee is introduced into the
† See 'The. Parliamentary Debates [Fourth Series], Vol. lxix., page 901.234 House, will the right hon. Gentleman support it?
§ MR. WALTER LONGIt is impossible for me to answer that, as the recommendations of the Committee affect Departments other than my own.