§ Sir HENRY CRAIKhad given notice to ask the Prime Minister if he will cause instructions to be issued to the various Departments of State that papers relating to important matters of administration, upon which this House is entitled to express an opinion and in which the constituents of hon. Members are closely interested, shall be supplied to Members of this House in the first place, and that the practice of issuing such papers primarily to the newspaper press and only subsequently to this House shall cease.
When the question was called the HON. MEMBER said: The Prime Minister is not present, and I will defer asking the question till he is.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIf the hon. Gentleman will allow me to answer it I will do so.
§ Sir H. CRAIKNo; I will defer the question until the Prime Minister is present.