§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the price asked by Sir Edward Antrobus for the tract of land on Salisbury Plain for which the War Office is negotiating; and whether, in view of the purchases of land recently made at Salisbury Plain, he will reconsider the advisability of delaying for the present further expenditure of this kind.
§ * THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton)rose to answer the Question, but—
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI do not ask it in the absence of the Secretary for War.
§ * MR. SPEAKERIt is quite common and regular for one Minister to answer a Question on behalf of another Minister.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLYes, but this is a Question affecting policy, and as the noble Lord is not a member of the Cabinet he should not answer it.
§ * LORD STANLEYThe hon. Gentleman is mistaken. This is not a Question affecting policy. The War Department is not at present contemplating any further purchase on Salisbury Plain.