§ MR. H. C. LEAI beg to ask the Prime Minister how many peerages have been created since the Liberal Government accepted office in December 1905; and whether this is the method the Government intend to pursue with the House of Lords in order to make the will of the people prevail, more especially in view of the recent action of that Chamber in regard to the Scottish Land Bill of the Government.
§ MR. ASQUITHIn answer to the first part of my hon. friend's Question, twenty-three temporal, and three spiritual Peers have been created during the period in question. The second part of the Question seems to trespass beyond the realm of fact into that Of opinion.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I desire to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not the usual, almost the invariable, practice when considerable changes in the composition or powers of any body are intended, either by legislation or administrative action, that additions to that body, pending the changes, are suspended.
§ MR. ASQUITHThat is a very large question. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will give notice of it.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLCan I put another Question without notice? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the present Government have created as many Peers as were in the first Parliament of Henry VII.?
§ MR. H. C. LEAIs it not a fact that, with the exception of the instance mentioned by my hon. friend opposite, there is no period in English history in which so many peerages have been created as in the period of the present Government?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThat would require considerable research.
§ MR. H. C. LEAIs it not a fact that the democracy of this country have shown by recent bye-elections what they consider is hypocritical and inconsistent in the action taken by the Government in regard to the creation of Peers?
§ [No Answer was returned.]