§ Mr. LANE-FOXasked the Prime Minister whether his attention had been drawn to a speech made by the President of the Board of Trade at Edinburgh on Saturday afternoon; and whether that right hon. Gentleman was speaking on behalf of the Government when he stated that any Amendment of the Finance Bill by the other House would be followed by an immediate dissolution of Parliament?
§ Mr. HADDOCKasked if the information given by the President of the Board of Trade that the Government intend to appeal to the country unless the Finance Bill is passed by the House of Lords without Amendment is authorised by him?
Captain CRAIGasked whether he authorised the pronouncement of the President of the Board of Trade on Saturday, the 17th instant, that Parliament would be at once dissolved in the event of the Finance Bill being altered or thrown out in another place?
Captain FABERasked whether his attention has been called to the recent speech of the President of the Board of Trade; and whether the intentions of His Majesty's Government are therein accurately expressed, namely, to recommend to His Majesty the desirability of dissolving Parliament in the event of any interference with the Budget by the House of Lords?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMy right hon. Friend informs me that he did not use the language imputed to him in some of these questions. He said nothing as to an "immediate" dissolution, and all that he intended to convey was that a constitutional conflict between the two Houses must ultimately be settled by an appeal to the country. In regard to that part of the questions which inquires into the views of His Majesty's Government, I have to point out that it is clearly impossible for His Majesty's Ministers to state now what advice they would feel it their duty to tender to the King as to the exercise of the prerogative of dissolution in hypothetical circumstances, which may never occur.