§ Lord BALCARRESI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if he will make a statement about business to-night and to-morrow night, and also when he will be in a position to give a general announcement to the House about the business to be taken after the Christmas recess?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo Government business will to taken to-night or to-morrow. I will make a statement on Friday about the business after the recess.
§ Lord BALCARRESCan we not have the statement before Friday about business after the recess?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will consider that suggestion.
Mr. BALFOURI am quite sure the right hon. Gentleman is aware of the inconvenience caused by the delay in this matter, and I hope will remember how much the plans of hon. Members of all parts of the House do really depend on the statement of the Government's intentions with regard to business, and that he will also remember under what exceptional circumstances by way of date we are departing, and the still more exceptional circumstances in the way of date we meet again. I think he will feel that if possible he will give some information to hon. Gentlemen which will enable them to frame their own schemes for the next few weeks.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI agree, and I will accelerate it; probably on Wednesday.