§ Mr. LEIF JONESasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that his promise of facilities for a Women's Suffrage Bill next Session is being claimed exclusively on behalf of the Bill introduced this Session by the hon. Member for North-West Manchester; and whether he will now state if the promised facilities 1913 will equally be granted to any other Women's Suffrage Bill which secures a Second Reading and is capable of Amendment?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe promise referred to was given in regard to the Bill introduced by the hon. Member for North-West Manchester, and read a second time on 5th May, which appeared to the Government to satisfy the tests which they had laid down as the conditions for granting such facilities. One of those tests was that the Bill should be so framed as to be capable of free discussion and amendment. The Government clearly cannot undertake to give facilities for more than one Bill on the same subject, but any Bill which, satisfying those tests, secured a Second Reading would be treated by them as falling within their engagement.
§ Mr. PETOIs it a fact that any other Bill connected with women's suffrage can possibly have been before the House at the time that that answer was given?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI have said so, that the promise referred to the Bill before the House at the time. That does not say that there will not be any other Bill before the House next Session on the same subject.
§ Mr. LEIF JONESIs not it a fact that the first promise of facilities in connection with a Women's Suffrage Bill was made to a deputation of Liberal Members, and that it was merely owing to the accident that the Bill introduced by the hon. Member for North-West Manchester secured a favourable place in the ballot that the facilities were offered by the Prime Minister to that Bill?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThat is so.
Mr. CHANCELLORIs the meaning of the word "again," in the passage "next Session when the Bill has been again read a second time," that it applies to any Bill?
§ Mr. PETOIf the right hon. Gentleman refers to the words before "again" he will see that it refers to the Bill under discussion.
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEIt must have reference to a Bill which has secured a Second Reading and complied with the tests laid down by the Prime Minister on behalf of the Government. Any Bill that secures a Second Reading and conforms to those tests will be a Bill which will come within the undertaking given by the Government.
§ Mr. SNOWDENIs not it a fact that the promise was given, not only for a Bill which was read a second time, but which was agreed on by the Conciliation Committee, and did not the Prime Minister give this promise?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThat is not the only undertaking he gave. The Prime Minister did not give an undertaking that he would favour one Bill more than another. What he promised to do was on behalf of the Government to give facilities to any Bill which would conform to the test which he laid down: that is that it must be a Bill which is capable of Amendment.
§ Mr. ROCHWas not the last undertaking on this subject given by the Prime Minister in a letter to Lord Ripon on the 16th of June, in which he made specific reference to the Bill then before the House and no other?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThat is exactly the question put by the hon. Member for Blackburn, which I have answered.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEMay I ask whether the reply of the Government would not apply only to the Bill which obtained the consent of the Conciliation Committee?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEIt will apply to any Bill which will satisfy the tests I have mentioned.