§ Mr. A. J. BALFOURMay I ask the Prime Minister whether he has any statement to make as regards the business for this week and next week? It is desirable, if possible, that Members of this House should have full warning of the general scheme of business and of the Government's intentions.
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)I am sorry I cannot give a definite reply until to-morrow as to the business which the Government propose to take on Friday. We are most anxious that the remaining clauses of Part I. of the Finance Bill (Duties on Land Values) should be passed by to-morrow night. In that case we should not contemplate proceeding with the Finance Bill again this week, and 1105 any business we should propose to take on Friday would be, more or less, of an un-controversial character.
§ Mr. BALFOURIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, excluding minerals, there are 13 clauses remaining in Part I.?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe right hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) intends to ask the House to postpone the mineral clauses. The others are mainly machinery clauses.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that among the machinery clauses is the Definition Clause, to which we have been referred as affording an opportunity of raising a great number of points which we were not allowed to raise earlier? There is the whole question of appeal, and the courts to which appeals should be sent. There are also the Exemption Clauses and the entirely new proposals of which the Government gave notice only the other day with regard to valuation.
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe new clauses of which I gave notice are machinery clauses, and they were put down in the hope that they would meet the views of hon. Gentlemen.