HC Deb 29 March 1906 vol 154 cc1554-5
* SIR BRAMPTON GURDON

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the House will be allowed to express a perfectly free and independent opinion on the question of the day of the week on which the short sitting should be held.

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

I think this is desirable, and it will be made clear when the proposed alterations in the rules are considered.

SIR CARNE RASCH (Essex, Chelmsford)

asked whether there would be an opportunity of discussing a time limit for speeches on Monday.

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

said that this subject would not arise on the part of the question of procedure which the Committee had dealt with. If the hon. and gallant Gentleman would communicate with the Chairman of the Committee, no doubt he would give an opportunity for embracing that subject in some other portion of the Committee's inquiry. Until the Committee had reported on it, the matter could hardly come before the House.

MR. SAMUEL ROBERTS

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury when the new Procedure Rules will be discussed.

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

On Monday.

MR. SAMUEL ROBERTS

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury when the proposals of the Government, as conveyed to the Select Committee of Procedure, will be laid upon the Table of the House; and whether private Members will be allowed to submit themselves for examination by the Committee.

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

These proposals are on the Paper. I do not know what the nature or the purpose of the proposed examination of private Members may be; but the Committee has concluded its deliberation on the branch of the general subject which will be dealt with on Monday.