§ MR. LEVY (Leicestershire, Loughborough)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can now state definitely whether he will proceed with the Unemployed Bill this session; and, if not, will he convene an early autumn session for the purpose of placing the Bill on the Statute-book.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am afraid I cannot make any definite statement on the Unemployed Bill. It depends on the general course of business.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)asked whether the Unemployed Bill was to be considered on its merits or whether its further progress was to depend on the progress of other measures.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe progress of this Bill, as of other Government business, depends upon the method in which Government business is treated by the Members of the House. It must be evident—I do not say it in a critical spirit, but in a mathematical spirit—that, if large portions of time are taken up with discussions, which may or may not be important, upon other measures, it is impossible for every Gentleman to get the measure passed which is nearest to his heart. If, for instance, the hon. Member occupies Government time as he did last, night between twelve o'clock and half-past there he can hardly complain if some difficulty is thrown in the way of the Bill which he desires to pass.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIEIt was not Government time after twelve o'clock, and I did not interfere with the progress of Government business. I desire to ask 998 whether the Unemployed Bill is not to have an opportunity of passing equally with the Aliens Bill, and whether a day will be given to the Committee stage of the Unemployed Bill before the Aliens Bill is again taken.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Member must know that if the Resolution on the Paper passes, and I hope it will, it will be impossible to comply with his request.
§ MR. LEVYasked whether the right hon. Gentleman considered the Unemployed Bill to be of less importance than the Redistribution Resolution.
[No Answer was returned.]