§ 46. Mr. BUTCHERasked the Prime Minister whether, at the date of his speech on the introduction of the Government of Ireland Bill on 11th April, 1912, in which he presented the case for Irish Home Rule as the first step in a larger and more comprehensive policy, he was aware of the views of the First Lord of the Admiralty, recently enunciated in public, as to setting up ten or twelve separate Parliaments in the United Kingdom; and whether, in view of his statement that what the Government are now doing in regard to Ireland they do with the distinct and direct purpose of further and fuller applications of the principles, he will, before the conclusion of the Committee stage of the Government of Ireland Bill, inform the House more clearly of the nature of those further and fuller applications, and will state whether they include the setting up of ten or twelve separate Parliaments for the United Kingdom?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and to the second that in the Committee stage of the present Bill it would probably be out of order and certainly premature to go into this matter.
§ Mr. BUTCHERDoes the right hon. Gentleman think it right that we should be forced to legislate on the important questions arising out of this Bill in total 229 ignorance of the intentions of the Government as regards federalism?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is a matter of opinion.