§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)Will you permit me, Mr. Speaker, to ask Question 103, which has not been reached, but which is of urgent importance in view of the approaching discussions on the Budget Resolutions?
§ The question was as follows—
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDTo ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is proposed to charge the same duty on Irish-grown tobacco as on foreign imported tobacco; and whether, in view of the fact that the Irish tobacco industry was stamped out by Act of Parliament, some remission of taxation on Irish-grown tobacco can now be given to help a reviving industry, with a view to giving much sorely needed employment in Ireland.
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member will get an Answer to-morrow morning.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDBut may I put it now? I desire to ask a supplementary Question.
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member cannot ask a question supplemental to one which has not been put.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDBut as the Budget Resolutions will very shortly be discussed it would be impossible for me to put down this Question in time to get an Answer before that discussion takes place.
§ *MR. SPEAKERIf the hon. Member will put the supplementary Question down to-day he will get an answer on Wednesday.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDYes, but a supplementary Question loses all its virtue when not put across the floor of the House.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOUR (City of London)said he understood that a very large number of Members desired to take part in the debate on the Education Bill. If the Prime Minister found that that was the general view of the House, he hoped he would be in a position to allow the debate to go on till Wednesday.
§ MR. ASQUITH, after warmly congratulating the right hon. Gentleman on his return to the House, said that, having taken such opportunities as he had of ascertaining the state of opinion in all quarters of the House, he had come to the conclusion that, on the whole, it would be right to allow the debate to go on till Wednesday. The division would be taken before the dinner-hour on that day.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN (Worcestershire, E.)What about the Budget Resolutions?
§ MR. ASQUITHsaid the income-tax Resolution would be taken on Monday.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDasked when there would be an opportunity of discussing the tobacco duty Resolution.
§ MR. ASQUITHsaid there would be a number of opportunities—on the Report of the Resolution, on the Second Reading of the Finance Bill, and again in Committee on the Bill.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDWhen will the Report stage be taken?
§ MR. ASQUITHI cannot say yet.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDgave notice that, on the Report of the Resolution, he would call attention to the fact that the duty on tobacco grown in Ireland was as large as that on foreign-grown tobacco, and move that, in the interests of a local industry which gave employment to a large number of people, a smaller duty be placed on Irish-grown tobacco.
§ VISCOUNT CASTLEREAGHCan the right hon. Gentleman indicate when the Coal Mines (Eight Hours) Bill will be taken?
§ MR. ASQUITHI must have notice of that.