§ MR. A. J. BALFOUR (City of London)asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reference to the Motion for the suspension of the 11 o'clock rule, which was down in the name of the Prime Minister, whose absence from illness they all regretted, whether he proposed to sit late that night if that Motion were assented to by the House.
§ MR. ASQUITHreplied that they hoped they might bring the debate on the particular Amendment which the noble Lord opposite was going to propose to a conclusion that night, but he trusted it would not be necessary to sit at all late for the purpose.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid it was impossible for him to forecast the progress of the debate, as he did not know how many Gentlemen desired to take part in it, but he would remind the right hon. Gentleman that there had been no case, so far as he knew, in which, the House meeting on the Tuesday, the Address had been concluded before the Thursday week following. In almost every case it had gone over to the Friday, and in some cases it had entered into the third week.
§ MR. ASQUITHsaid that last year they concluded the debate in a single week. The right hon. Gentleman was not present at that time. Easter came very early this year, and it was hoped by the Government to bring the debate to a conclusion on the following night.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURthought the right hon. Gentleman would agree that last year was a very exceptional one—exceptional, he meant, from the fact that hon. Gentlemen were then in the full flush of a triumph which had somewhat lost its charm. In 1905 the debate lasted for over a fortnight, in 1904 nearly three weeks, in 1903 up to the Thursday week, in 1902 it went into the third week, and in 1901 and 1900 it lasted up to the Friday.
§ MR. ASQUITHsaid he preferred the precedent of 1906. He would have thought that hon. Members who had just come from their constituents would be more anxious to flesh their swords than those who sat in a somewhat jaded Parliament.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)was understood to inquire if the Government had realised that their proposal would prevent a debate on the unemployed.
§ MR. ASQUITHThe whole subject has been most carefully considered.
§ SIR H. COTTONpointed out that the closing of the debate on Tuesday night would shut out all discussion on India. For some years there had been an Amendment to the Address on Indian Questions, and if they had none this year it would form a bad precedent and create considerable irritation among our Indian fellow subjects.
§ MR. ASQUITHsaid that no Member of the Government underrated the importance of Indian subjects. He had, however, expressed the desire and the hope of the Government that the debate might be brought to a close on the following night, but if—and in this respect they were very anxious to meet the views of hon. Gentlemen opposite—that should be found to be impossible they would agree to prolong it up to Wednesday. Beyond Wednesday they could not possibly go; the financial exigencies of the year would not allow them to do so.