§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the consent of the Crown has been found necessary and has been obtained for the creation of the new office of Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means, empowered to act, on occasion, as Deputy Speaker; and when, and by what form, the new appointment will be made.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURYes; the consent of the Crown has been obtained. The appointment will be made in the same form as that of the Chairman of Committees.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESDoes the right hon. Gentleman propose to communicate the assent of the Crown to the House?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have just communicated it.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLThat is not a proper way of doing it.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe appointment, I understand, will be by Motion. That is the practice usually followed in regard to the Chairman himself.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURYes, Sir.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANWhen will the appointment be made?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt will be made, as is usual, the first time we go into Committee of Supply, which is tomorrow.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIn the course of the debate which we had the other night on this subject, I pointed out that the establishment of a new paid office, although it might be extremely desirable, is a step to be taken with caution, and we ought to have the Report of a Committee of this House on the subject before we take that step.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWhom does the Government contemplate moving into the chair?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That does not arise out of the Question on the Paper.