§ MR. FITZROY (Northamptonshire, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, for the convenience of Members generally, the Government will propose an Amendment of the Standing Order {Sittings of the House) so as to provide that the House shall meet at 2.30, and that Questions shall begin at 2.45.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIn answer to my hon. friend, I have to say that I have never regarded the meeting at 2 o'clock and the commencement of Questions at 2.15 as a necessary and integral part of the reform of the Rules of the House which we initiated some two years back; but 270 I do not know that any agreement has been come to among Members as to what precise alteration should be made in the Rule to make it more convenient. I should be quite prepared, if there were a general consensus of opinion and we could be sure of passing a change in the Rule without discussion, to consider any proposals that might be made, but to give up a day to debate alterations and discuss endless Amendments of the Rule would be impossible in the present state of public business.