§ MR. GALLOWAYI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will be willing to consider such rearrangement of the business of the House under the new Standing Orders as will enable Government business to be taken at the proposed sitting on Fridays, and Private Members' Bills now set down for Wednesdays to be taken at one of the proposed afternoon sittings instead of at the proposed sitting on Fridays.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMy hon. friend has introduced the question whether or not Private Members' Bills should be taken on Friday as distinct from the question, with which it is closely allied, whether the Friday sitting should begin at twelve o'clock and end at six o'clock, or whether it should be a double sitting, beginning at two o'clock and ending at 603 midnight. As regards the first of these questions—namely, the propriety of having a twelve o'clock sitting on Friday, the Government holds the strongest view, which I shall explain and justify in the course of the debate. The question whether Friday—if there be a twelve o'clock sitting on Friday—should be devoted to private business is a matter, I admit, of secondary importance. I think the hon. Member will find that the general view of the House is that, according to our immemorial traditions, the sittings beginning at twelve o'clock should be devoted to Private Members' Bills. I am disposed to concur in that view.