HC Deb 07 March 1902 vol 104 cc730-2
MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)

I desire to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can now make the promised statement with regard to the business of next week.

SIR M. HICKS BEACH

Of course, the proceedings next week will depend on the proceedings this evening. Assuming that the Government obtain Votes A and 1 of the Army Estimates, which I understand is practically certain, this evening, Monday will be devoted to the Motion of the Leader of the Opposition. On Tuesday Vote 9 of the Army Estimates will be taken, and probably Vote 9 of the Navy Estimates, possibly also Vote 10 of the Navy Estimates. On Thursday the Reports of Supply then remaining will be taken, giving precedence to the Report of the Vote on Account. If they should be concluded on Thursday, I think that probably we might be able to move the Speaker out of the Chair on the Civil Service Estimates on Friday.

MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)

Has the right hon. Gentleman any right to assume that the debate on the Motion of the Leader of the Opposition will close on Monday night? Some of my hon. friends are anxious to take part in the debate, and I think that it is impossible to have an adequate discussion of the question in one night.

SIR M. HICKS BEACH

This is the first time it has been suggested that this debate should extend over one night. I cannot, of course, say anything until Monday, when I hope that the Leader of the House will be present.

MR. JOHN REDMOND

There has been no opportunity to make any suggestion as to the length of the debate until now, but it never occurred to me for a moment that an effort would be made to closure the debate after one night.

MR. M'KENNA

I wish to ask the Secretary of State for War a Question of which I have given him private notice, viz., whether he is aware that a communication purporting to be in his name was made to me last Tuesday requesting me to postpone a Question I had placed on the Paper,† on the ground that he was obtaining the information. which he would let me have on Friday; and whether it is with his approval that such information has now been refused until a time which will be subsequent to the debate on Monday next?

MR. BRODRICK

Yes, Sir; the intimation was conveyed by my authority. The information is not at our disposal. As far as I can recollect, the hon. Member put his Question down on Monday—the night before it appeared on the Paper, and I had had no opportunity of verifying the statement when the House met on Tuesday. It now appears that the matter is under discussion, and therefore it would obviously not be desirable to present it as a separate Return.

DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)

When will the debate on the Procedure Rules be resumed?

SIR M. HICKS BEACH

I do not think next week.

MR. BRYCE

Perhaps it may be for the convenience of the right hon. Gentleman if I say, in reference to what fell from him, that, as far as I am able to ascertain, there is likely to be a considerable number of Members on the Opposition side who desire to take part in the † The Question referred to was as follows: Mr. M'Kenna,—To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will lay upon the Table the Papers relating to the purchase of mules in Spain, to which reference is made on page 220 of the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General in the Army Appropriation Account, 1900–1901; in particular giving the name of the agent who took private commission from the dealers in addition to the commission paid to him out of Army funds and the amount of such commissions and stating in what manner the remount officers satisfied themselves of the correctness of the sum claimed by the agent. debate on Monday. Possibly they may think that one day will not be sufficient.

MR. WHITLEY

Can the right hon. Gentleman now state if he has found it necessary to take the Army Excess Vote before Easter or not?

SIR M. HICKS BEACH

I find that these Excess Votes have always been taken before the conclusion of the financial year following that in which the excess has been incurred, and certainly I think that that practice ought not to be departed from. If an opportunity can be afforded for discussion of the questions which the Excess Votes raise on any head of the Army Estimates, I hope the House will allow the Excess Votes to be taken before Easter on that understanding. I will inquire into that. If such an opportunity cannot be afforded, then I think we had better postpone the Excess Vote till later in the session.

MR. BLAKE (Longford, S.)

I trust the right hon. Gentleman will, in the event of the Vote being postponed till after Easter, see that it is not taken until after the Report has been made of the Public Accounts Committee.

SIR M. HICKS BEACH

Clearly that would be desirable.