§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI understand that the right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister has some statement to make as to the business of the House, and I will therefore put to him the necessary Question.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)I have to inform the House of a small Parliamentary contretemps, for which I alone am responsible. The House is aware that on two or three occasions—the last being no later than yesterday—I indicated to them that the first business to-morrow would be a statement by my right hon. friend the Secretary for War upon the new Army proposals. But that arrangement, I am afraid, must be regarded as deleted; and I am very sorry that it should be so. Those who are aware of the extraordinary complexity of the problem, and, for instance, of the complexity of the suggestions made by the last contribution to that problem—namely, the Report of the Militia and Volunteer Commission—will not be surprised that my right hon. friend is not ready to make his statement on Thursday. What they may be legitimately surprised at is that so old a Parliamentary hand as myself should have imagined that the thing could be
† See (4) Debates, cxxix, 1038.155 settled in that time. I am very sorry for the mistake, the whole blame for which rests on myself. In these circumstances we shall have to take different Supply; and I propose to put down the Vote for the Board of Trade first, the Diplomatic and Consular Vote second, and Class I. third.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANasked when the Army discussion would be taken?
§ ME. A. J. BALFOURIt will not be possible in any case to take it next Thursday, because we are pledged to take Irish Supply on that day; but in any case, having fallen into the fire once, I am reluctant to burn my fingers again by any premature statement.