§ 46. Mr. MITCHELL-THOMSONasked the First Lord of the Treasury if he will state when he proposes to fill up the vacancy among the Lords of the Treasury caused by the elevation of Lord Murray of Elibank to the House of Peers?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEMy right hon. Friend is not at present prepared to make any statement on the subject.
§ Mr. MITCHELL-THOMSONCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether there is any precedent for leaving this office so long unfilled, with no attempt to fill it?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEIndeed, there is. If the hon. Member had been present in the days of the last Unionist Government—I am not sure whether he was in the House—he would know that I put the same question about once a week.
§ Mr. MITCHELL-THOMSONIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware in the case to which he refers that at least attempts were made to fill the office?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI know, but it was thought so unsafe that the attempts were not persevered in. May I remind the hon. Member that we have—at the present time—just as many junior Lords as the Unionist Government had then.