§ Mr. LAURENCE HARDYasked the Prime Minister whether, in connection with the alterations now suggested in the relations between the two Houses of Parliament, he proposes to appoint a Committee, in accordance with ancient precedent, to frame a new preamble to Public Bills applicable to Bills the assent to which is not required from the House of Lords, and to Bills which may ultimately be passed without their assent; and whether he proposes any alteration in the procedure for giving the Royal Assent to Bills, in view of the fact that many of the Bills in future may not be agreed to by the House of Lords, within whose chamber the Assent is given?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)The question whether or not any change may become necessary or desirable in the form of preambles and enacting words, or in the procedure for giving the Royal Assent, will not become practical or urgent until the principles embodied in the Resolutions now under discussion have received legislative sanction. Whether it will then be expedient to appoint such a Committee as the hon. Member suggests I cannot now say, but it would clearly be premature to take such a step at present.