§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)asked for information as to the course of business.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI hope the Sugar Convention Bill will pass through Committee this evening; if, unhappily, 1452 it is not finished, it will be put down for to-morrow.
§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)At what time then will it be taken?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURHow can I tell? The Second Reading of the Revenue Bill and of the Housing of the Working Classes Bill, the Committee stage of the Railways (Electrical Power) Bill, and the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill will be put down for Wednesday. On Thursday Irish Supply will be taken, and after 12 o'clock I propose to take some Third Readings. On Friday I hope to take the Committee stage of the Motor-Car Bill. It will be seen from that statement that I see no prospect of taking to-morrow, as I had hoped, the two Departmental Ecclesiastical Bills on the Paper, and it is much to be regretted that there has been opposition to those Bills. According to the best information I can obtain, I do not think it possible to pass them in the present session; and I shall therefore introduce them at an earlier period of next session.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANDoes the right hon. Gentleman propose to proceed with the Revenue Bill, which makes some twenty changes and clearly requires elaborate explanation?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI should have hoped that Bill, which is entirely a concession by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, would meet with universal approval; my right hon. friend has distributed an explanatory memorandum, but if the result of that explanation is to make hon. Gentlemen suspicious and to whet their appetite for discussion, it will be impossible for the Bill to pass. It is not my right hon. friend who will suffer by that.
§ COLONEL LOCKWOOD (Essex, Epping)When shall we be able to obtain copies of the agreement with the Cunard Steamship Company.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI hope this evening at 8 o'clock.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt certainly cannot be taken this week.
§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)Cannot the right hon. Gentleman take the Third Reading of the Irish Development Grant Bill to-night? It is important to get it passed through this House as soon as possible.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIf there is no opposition to it I shall be glad to take it.
§ MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)What does the right hon. Gentleman propose to do about the Congested Districts (Scotland) Bill?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI cannot say yet.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI cannot yet fix a day.
§ MR. CRIPPS (Lancashire, Stretford)Will the two Ecclesiastical Bills be taken up as Government Bills next session?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURYes, Sir.
§ MR. HERBERT SAMUEL (Yorkshire, Cleveland)What about the Port of London Bill?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not see any chance of proceeding with that Bill in the course of the present week.