§ Mr. BONAR LAWMay I ask the Prime Minister what business will be taken to-night after the first and second Orders?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWe will consider the House of Lords Amendments to the various Bills on the Paper. Then we will take the Committee stage of the seven Charity Bills, and also the Bishoprics Bi11, which I hope will not take an undue time.
§ Mr. KINGIn reference to the Bishoprics Bill, the Second Reading was taken yesterday, though no announcement was made that it would be taken, and as it raised matters of very serious principle, and no opportunity was afforded to us of putting down Amendments, I would ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, when it is reached, he will instruct somebody on the Government Benches to move to report Progress at once?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo. I am very anxious that this Bill should go through. I think it is a Bill which is not going to excite any contention. With regard to what happened last night, I announced that the other Bill was going to be taken. In the course of the evening communications were made on both sides that both Charity Bills would be taken later on. I may point out that this Bishoprics Bill is not general; it deals with only three particular cases in regard to which the money has already been subscribed or found. The only object of the Bill is to enable the persons who have subscribed the money to apply it to the purposes for which it was intended. There is no question of principle whatever involved. I hope that the hon. Member will not press his opposition. There are no fewer than sixteen of these Charity Bills; eleven are on the Paper to-day.
§ Mr. KINGCan we be sure that these sixteen Charity Bills, some of which have not yet been introduced, will actually all pass this Session?
§ The PRIME MINISTEREleven of them will.
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes; they are all printed.
Mr. C. BATH URSTWhen do you propose to take the Development and Roads Improvements Bill?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI would rather not answer just now.