§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANWill the Leader of the House give us an indication of the general nature of the business to be taken this week?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have been considering the position of Supply, and I think it will be desirable to take another Supply day tomorrow. The Supply in the afternoon will be, first, the Board of Agriculture, then the Charity Commission, the Civil Service Commission, the Exchequer and Audit Department, and Friendly Societies. At the evening sitting we shall begin with the Local Government Board Vote and go on with the Lunacy Commission. On Wednesday I propose to take some of the smaller Departmental Bills that ought to pass. The Bills will be, the Royal Naval Reserve Volunteers Bill, the Freshwater Fish (Scotland) Bill, the Money Resolution relating to public offices (Dublin) (advances), the Post Office Sites Bill, the Electric Lighting (London) Bill, and a formal stage of the Loan Bill. The evening sitting on Wednesday has already been allocated to the appointment of Committees, beginning with the Committee on Steamship Subsidies. On Thursday we shall take the Naval Estimates, Vote 8 in the morning, and Vote 12 in the evening.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt cannot be taken before Friday.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)The right hon. Gentleman only proposes to take a formal stage of the Loan Bill. It is understood we shall have an opportunity of discussing it on the Third Reading.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI propose to take the Committee stage, which I take it is purely formal.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Will an opportunity be afforded on the Navy Vote for discussing the subsidy to the White Star Line?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat is a question of order; I should conceive that it would not be in order, and in any case I am clearly of opinion that it would not be convenient. When the time seems ripe I propose to put down the salary of the President of the Board of Trade, and then, I believe, any action of the Government in connection with these events relating to the mercantile marine can be legitimately discussed.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESWill some opportunity be given for the entirely different question of the Admiralty subsidies, which, I believe, cannot be discussed on the salary of the President of the Board of Trade?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI imagine it could not be formally discussed on that Vote; but I am not at all prepared to say that, if the general policy comes in, adequate allusions might not be made to that point.
MR. JAMES LOWTHERI understand that according to the arrangements of business the Finance Bill cannot come on before Friday at the earliest.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURYes.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI should be sorry to give a pledge on the subject, but speaking broadly it is not convenient to have too much in-and-out work in connection with the Finance Bill.
§ MR. HUMPHREYS-OWEN (Montgomery)When will the Education Bill be taken?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI cannot forecast the time, but it cannot be long deferred.