Mr. LYULPH STANLEYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in the event of obtaining Clauses 8 and 9 of the Finance Bill this evening, he intends proceeding to-morrow with Clause 10, dealing with the Undeveloped Land Tax?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWe certainly hope there may be no difficulty in securing Clauses 8 and 9 of the Finance Bill this r evening. In that event, having regard to the state of Supply, we propose to take Supply to-morrow and to put down the Vote of the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINMay I ask whether it is customary at the very last moment to give notice of a change in the order of business of this kind; and has the right hon. Gentleman had regard to the extraordinary inconvenience which is caused to Members on this side of the I House who have to attend the Budget discussions when, at the very last moment, he alters the order of business which was definitely announced on the usual occasion?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI understood that communication was made in the usual way with the right hon. Gentleman opposite (Sir A. Acland-Hood), and also with the Irish Members.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe right hon. Gentleman is misinformed as to what took place. The Secretary to the Treasury offered, if a certain arrangement were come to, that the Budget would not be taken to-morrow, and he would put down other business. He proposed Irish Supply, if my right hon. Friend concurred. No arrangement was come to, and we have had no notice at all until this moment of the intention of the Government.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Joseph Pease)In a letter which I wrote to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Somersetshire (Sir A. Acland-Hood), I think I distinctly stated that we expected last night to get Clause 7, and to-night Clauses 8 and 9. I further went on to suggest the other 271 arrangement, which I thought might be for the general convenience of the House, and I asked him whether he had any Supply to suggest other than Irish Supply.
§ Sir A. ACLAND-HOODread the following letter from the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Joseph Pease):—
§ "Copy.
§ "18th July.
§ "Dear—,
§ "Balfour asked for a reasonable period of daylight to discuss the principle of the Reversion Duty.
§ "We intended to sit on until we got Clause 7 and secured a portion of Clause 8 to-night and 8 and 9 to-morrow.
§ "Lloyd-George is anxious to meet Balfour's wishes, and if we get through the Amendments to Clause 7 tonight, we can discuss the clause standing part at the commencement of to-morrow; but in that case we must be given Clauses 8 and H (machinery) at a not unreasonable hour to-morrow evening. If you agree I will put down Supply instead of Budget for Wednesday, and suggest Irish, unless you ask for any other Supply which I can grant."
§ That is perfectly straightforward. We were told last Thursday by the Prime Minister that the Finance Bill was to be taken on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week. We did consider that Clause 7 was a most important one, and there were a great many substantial Amendments put down. I am sure the Chancellor of the Exchequer will admit that those Amendments were not obstructive, and he knows perfectly well what obstruction is. He will admit those Amendments were of a substantial, genuine, and serious nature. In these circumstances, after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and my hon. Friends, we came to the conclusion that they could not go through Clause 7 so as to meet the views of the Government, and therefore we had to discuss the Amendments until six o'clock this morning. We would have boon very glad to meet right hon. Gentlemen opposite, but I told the hon. Gentleman frankly that we could not come to an agreement. I think some time later a suggestion was made, not by the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Joseph Pease) but by one of his colleagues, to take one clause a day. We did not think that a good way to conduct our business, and we could not accept it. The negotiations broke down, and I certainly was under the impression that we were going on with the Budget tomorrow.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI wish to ask the Prime Minister whether he will consider the great difficulties under which a small party, my right hon. and hon. friends and myself, are placed in conduct- 272 ing the opposition which we think it necessary to offer to this Bill, and whether he will at the earliest possible moment give us a general indication of the times at which he means to make Progress with this Bill. It is really very important, as I think he will understand, when a very great strain is being put upon us, when we are being asked on many nights in the week to sit until the early hours in the morning, that we should have the earnest information the Government can possibly give of any time we may consider ourselves free, so that we may make our other arrangements, which are very much interfered with.
§ The PRIME MINISTERWhen I announced last Thursday the three days, that was the expectation, but I suppose we should always put in a caveat, subject to possible changes later on. The arrangement which is suggested will enable the right hon. Gentleman and his friends to have a much-needed holiday to-morrow.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINWill the right hon. Gentleman try and give us longer notice?
§ Mr. S. ROBERTSMay I ask if this Bill is not to be taken next week, or the week after, as we have been told so?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, Sir, I do not know who could have told the hon. Member.
§ Mr. S. ROBERTSIt is a rumour.
§ Dr. V. H. RUTHERFORD (Brentford)May I ask will he avoid taking any private Bill on Thursday, on the occasion of the Foreign Office Vote? As it is only once a year we have the opportunity of discussing foreign affairs, it would be unfair to limit the time of the House.
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe question refers to the North-Eastern Railway Bill. I have some hope an arrangement may be come to which will obviate any long delay, but if there is we will move the adjournment of the Debate.
§ Dr. V. H. RUTHERFORDIt is Thursday of this week.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am told there is no Bill down. At any rate, the adjournment can be moved.
§ Mr. HUGH BARRIEMay I ask if the Prime Minister considers it quite fair to 273 Irish Unionist Members, who were previously informed that the Vote would be taken next week, to-day to announce that the Chief Secretary's Vote should be taken to-morrow? May I ask, further, if he is aware that at present the Assize Courts are being held in Ireland, and it is impossible that the legal Members of the party could be summoned back?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI was told last night that most of the hon. Gentleman's Friends were here. I think if he will search the premises he will find some of them in attendance, and I hope there is a sufficient number to represent their views.