§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI wish to ask the Prime Minister a question of which I have given him private notice, whether his attention has been called to the fact that in moving to take the time of the Navy, and that in the outline of ruary last he is reported in the daily Press to have said that the business to-morrow and the next day would be Votes A and 1 of the Navy, and that in the outline of business officially supplied to the Opposition by the Patronage Secretary to the Treasury on that occasion Vote 1 of the Navy was specifically mentioned, and whether under these circumstances he will adhere to the programme of business then announced and accepted by the Opposition when his Motion was put to the House? I ought in fairness to the right hon. Gentleman to say that the OFFICIAL REPORT does not mention specifically any Votes, but my own recollection is that he mentioned Vote 1. I find his speech so reported in "The Times," and I find it was also in the typewritten copy which the Patronage Secretary handed to us.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am rather sorry that the right hon. Gentleman has referred to what he called the typewritten copy, because that represented a private undertaking, about which I think it is better to say nothing at this moment. With regard to the business, I have no recollection of having named any specific Navy Votes, and the. OFFICIAL REPORT represents me as simply using the phrase "Navy Votes." It is quite true, as the right hon. Gentleman calls my attention to the fact, that in "The Times" report, which is usually accurate, I am represented as having expressly referred to Votes A and 1. I think it is always desirable to avoid anything in the nature of a Parliamentary misunderstanding, and, under the circumstances, I will accede to the right hon. Genteman's request to substitute Vote 1 for Vote 10.