HC Deb 16 May 1901 vol 94 cc276-8
MR. CROMBIE (Kincardineshire)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury what Votes in Class 2 will be taken on Friday, and in what order.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The Votes will be the Privy Council Office, the Charity Commissioners, Civil Service Commissioners, the Exchequer Audit Department, the Friendly Societies, the Lunacy Commissioners, the National Debt Office, and Votes 20, 21, 22, and 23.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

Will the right hon. Gentleman include in the list the Vote for the salary of the Under Secretary for the Home Department?

MR. A. T. BALFOUR

No, Sir.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

Can we have notice before the Board of Trade Vote is taken, seeing that considerable interest is taken in it?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I always endeavour to give notice at the beginning of the week of what Supply will be taken on the Friday.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

Is it intended to take Supply to-morrow week?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

That depends on the course of business between now and then.

MR. BARTLEY

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he has made any arrangements for allowing another day for the debate on the Army resolution, seeing that so many hon. Members desire to take part in it?

COLONEL KENYON-SLANEY (Shropshire, Newport)

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that many Members of this House who take a deep interest in this question would like, in view of the fact that there is no alternative proposition before the House, to see the debate ended?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I think I stated only yesterday that arrangements

had been made in the ordinary course, and according to well established and most convenient usage, to take a division to-night. This arrangement cannot be broken without inflicting the greatest inconvenience on a very large body of Members. I am painfully aware that a large number of Gentlemen have hitherto been unable to find an opportunity of taking part in the debate, but we have a whole evening still before us, and I hope that the speeches still to be delivered will differ from their predecessors by being of greater brevity. If hon. Gentlemen who are fortunate enough to catch the Speaker's eye will remember that others desire to address the House I am convinced there will be no great difficulty in concluding the discussion. Under these circumstances, and in view of the appeal of my hon. and gallant friend the Member for Newport, who, I know, represents a very large amount of opinion in this House, I do not think it would be possible to upset the arrangements carefully come to some days since.