§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman what the business on Friday and in the early part of next week will be.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOUROn Friday the business will be the discussion of Vote 12 for the Navy. It will be remembered by the House that we put this Vote down for an evening sitting last week, but a Motion for Adjournment occupied most of the time which should have been given to it.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI would remind the right hon. Gentleman that this Vote is usually kept back as long as possible, so that we may retain an opportunity for raising Navy questions.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURYes, and a large number of Members are interested in the question proposed to be raised. It is necessary however, that we should take the Vote.
§ SIR FRANCIS POWELL (Wigan)Does the right hon. Gentlemen propose to take Estimates next Thursday?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURYes. As I have said before, we shall take the Scotch Estimates, subject to finishing the Report stage of the Finance Bill to-morrow, which I hope is not in doubt.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWill the Estimate for, £100,000 for the expenses of the Coronation be submitted before the Coronation ceremonies, in accordance with; precedent?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo. I should imagine it is not in accordance with precedent.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIt is in accordance with precedent?
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)When will the Report stage of the Vote for Lord Kitchener be taken?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt is down for tonight, but I do not know whether it will be reached. On Monday and Tuesday next week the Education Bill will be taken, and, as the House is aware, the Tuesday evening sitting will be devoted to the Coronation Adjournment Motion. Wednesday I propose to leave open.
§ MR. CALDWELL (Lanarkshire, Mid)When will the Third Reading of the Finance Bill be taken?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURPossibly on that Wednesday.
§ SIR JOHN COLOMB (Great Yarmouth)Will the Admiralty Vote be taken on Friday?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt will be taken on Friday. I shall not close the Vote on Friday, so as to give a further opportunity of raising questions upon it, if the House desires to do so.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSON (Dundee)What questions are to be raised?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMy noble friend the Member for Woolwich is going to raise important questions which he 845 would have raised the other night had not private business prevented him.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONIs it not the case that the noble lord the Member for Woolwich joined with me in appealing to the right hon. Gentleman to keep back the Vote?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI cannot believe that my noble friend has been guilty of inconsistency so great, because he has, in public and in private, strongly urged mo to take this Vote on the earliest possible day.