§ MR. HERBERT LEWIS (Flint Boroughs)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, seeing that the introduction of certain Resolutions in Committee of Ways and Means, of which the House knows nothing until they are read from the Chair, is productive of inconvenience, formal notice of such Resolutions will be given, except in regard to Resolutions moved on Budget night., and any other Resolutions in respect of which public inconvenience or injury may be caused by the premature disclosure of the Government's intentions.
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHI think that the terms of the Question do not sufficiently recognise that the introduction of a Resolution in Committee is only a preliminary stage, like the introduction of a Bill; the whole matter to which the Resolution relates being, like an ordinary Bill, open to discussion on the Second Reading of the Bill which is authorised by the passing of the Resolution. Therefore, I do not see the necessity for the proposal of the hon. Member, which would be productive of much greater inconvenience than the present system, if, as I apprehend, it led to the multiplication of opportunities of debate on the same subject, which are already so numerous as considerably to impede the proper conduct of our business in this House.