§ MR. ERNEST GRAY (West Ham, N)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works, in view of the provision that was made to enable the House of Commons to attend the recent reviews of Colonial and Indian troops, whether he can give the reasons for limiting the number of tickets placed at the disposal of Members, while a number of seats around the Parade were empty on both occasions; and whether he will consider the desirability of securing for the House the right to attend similar National functions.
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (MR. AKERS DOUGLAS,) Kent, St. Augustine'sI will give my hon. friend what information I. can on the subject, although my Department had nothing to do with the individual distribution of the tickets. The principal object of the review was to afford gratification to our Indian and Colonial guests, and as the space was very limited it was thought proper to give them the first call upon the seats. There were 3,700 seats available for each day; of these 1,000 were handed to the Military Authorities, and the other 2,700 to the Colonial Office and the India Oilier respectively, with an understanding that tickets should be provided for the use of Members of both Houses of Parliament. I am not aware of the cause of any vacant places, seeing that tickets for the whole number of seats were issued. I have on all such occasions, when the arrangements have been in my hands, endeavoured to arrange accommodation for Members of Parliament, but I do not know how a right can be secured and am not able to make any statement on that point.