§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe President of the Local Government Board yesterday at Question Time quoted from a Consular Report in reply to a question. Is it not necessary, in accordance with the Rules of the House, that the Consular Report should be laid on the Table of the House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is so. If what the right hon. Gentleman quoted was a verbatim quotation from an official Report it ought to be laid. If it was merely a summary it would not be necessary to lay it. That has always been the Rule of the House.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINMay I ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will call the attention of the President of the Local Government Board to the circumstance? The President yesterday said: "I will read from the Report."
§ Mr. MARKHAMThe right hon. Gentleman did read from an extract quoting the Report. I rose yesterday to ask, but was not allowed to proceed with the question, whether under the circumstances it did not fall within the Rule that what a Minister quotes shall be laid on the Table.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have said so. If it is an extract, and not a summary, it will be necessary to lay the document on the Table of the House.
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Lloyd-George)I will communicate with my right hon. Friend on, the subject.
§ One other Member took the Oath and subscribed the roll.