§ MR. ALFRED HUTTONI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can state when the Education Bill will be introduced, and why precedence has been given to the London Water Bill and to the Licensing Bill.
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACH (For Mr. A. J. BALFOUR)I am afraid I cannot at present name a day for the introduction of the Education Bill; but, with regard to the second part of the Question, I should hope that even Ministers may be allowed to settle the order of the introduction of their Bills. There was, however, a very good reason for introducing the Water Bill first, because it is necessary, by the Orders of the House, that that Bill should be submitted to a Select Committee as well as to the ordinary procedure of this House. Perhaps I may take the opportunity of stating that my right hon. friend the President of the Local Government Board proposes to move to refer the Bill to a Joint Select Committee of both Houses.