HC Deb 19 October 1908 vol 194 c763
MR. ARTHUR HENDERSON (Durham, Barnard Castle)

I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the amount of suffering caused by the present state of unemployment, he can now state what the Government proposes to do to alleviate the distress, and when a day can be given to discuss the subject.

THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fifeshire, E.

I propose to make a full and detailed statement on this subject on Wednesday, and as I am afraid it will be necessary for me to go beyond the ordinary limit of an Answer to a Question, I shall ask the permission of the House to make the statement at the end of Questions.

MR. ARTHUR HENDERSON

In view of the guillotine Motion being in operation, may I ask whether, in the event of the right hon. Gentleman's Answer not being satisfactory to my colleagues, the Government will be disposed to give us a day to consider the whole subject.

MR. ASQUITH

I am sanguine enough to hope that my Answer will be satisfactory. In the event of its not being so, having regard to the importance of the subject, the hon. Gentleman may be sure an opportunity will be given to consider it.