§ DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he intends to afford any opportunity for debating those of the new Procedure Rules which have not yet been submitted to the judgment of 164 the House, or of taking the opinion of hon. Members on the general efficiency of their working; and, if he cannot find time for this, whether he will grant the Committee of Inquiry originally suggested by the Leader of the Opposition.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI should be glad to find an opportunity for discussing the rules that remain undisposed of, but I do not think now, any more than I have thought before, that any time would be gained, or any valuable information collected, by referring them to the consideration of a Select Committee.
§ DR. FARQUHARSONHOW does the right hon. Gentleman intend to obtain the opinion of Members he desires to obtain, except by some such machinery as the Question suggests.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURWhatever may be the value of the opinion of Select Committees—and I allow it may be great—that opinion never can be taken as conclusive of the opinion of the House; it is the opinion of the Committee.
§ DR. FARQUHARSONBut surely evidence could be taken before the Committee from the Speaker, from officials, and from experienced and representative Members, and so the collective opinion could be gathered.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat was not the Question the hon. Member asked me; he asked me as to the opinion of the House; and now he asks as to the opinion of the Clerks at the Table and others. I am still of opinion that nothing would be gained by having the matter discussed by a Select Committee.