§ LORD R. CECIL (Marylebone, E.)I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether the Under-Secretary of State for War has resigned; and, if not, whether the Government will give to the House of Commons an opportunity of expressing its opinion on the continued retention of office by the Under-Secretary.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIn reply to the noble Lord I might almost ask what grounds he has for suggesting that the Under-Secretary for War has resigned, for such a question must be founded on some element of fact, and up to the present time I have not heard of any such rumour or resignation. With regard to the second part of the noble Lord's Question, he must see that with the amount of public business that the House has on hand at the present moment, it would be very difficult, even if not impossible, to provide time for the discussion of the action of the Undersecretary for War.
* CAPTAIN FABERMay I ask the Prime Minister whether it is not a fact that only recently another tenant of the noble Lord the Under-Secretary for War gave notice—[Cries of "Order, order."]
§ * MR. SPEAKERWhen I rise, the hon. and gallant Member should resume his seat.
§ LORD E. CECILMay I ask whether an opportunity will not occur on the Estimates or otherwise for the House to express its opinion on this question?
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI do not know that it is a question on which the House ought to be called upon to express an opinion.
§ MR. LEA (St. Pancras, E.)Having in view the great danger to the Liberal Party from the retention in office of this noble landlord, will the Prime Minister give an opportunity to hon. Members sitting below the gangway to express their views?
§ SIR. H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI think the hon. Member has already expressed his views.