§ Mr. BONAR LAWMay I ask the Prime Minister if he can now make a statement as to the business for the rest of the Session?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWhen the House has concluded all the stages of the Established Church (Wales) Bill and the Franchise and Registration Bill—which we hope to do by 12th February—we shall ask the House to consider the Lords Amendments to the Temperance (Scotland) Bill, and we shall take some necessary Supplementary Estimates. Apart from one or two non-controversial measures, which we hope will pass by general agreement, there are two Bills, one of them of a more or less controversial nature, which the Government think it their duty to get through 246 before the Session closes. I refer to the Trade Unions Bill and the Railways Bill, the latter introduced in fulfilment of a. Government pledge, and which I hope may be regarded as non-controversial. In order to abridge the length of the Session, and to consult the general convenience of the House, the Government suggest that these two Bills might be taken after 10.30 in the evening, on the understanding that the proceedings will not be prolonged on any night to a late hour. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."]
§ Mr. BONAR LAWDoes the right hon. Gentleman really suppose that, the Trade Unions Bill can go through under such conditions? May I ask if he has made no provision for the day he promised for the discussion of the India Office Finance contract?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI did not mention that, because I was only dealing with legislation, but that promise will be fulfilled. As regards the other question, it is really a matter for the general convenience of the House. If the suggestion I have made—it is only a suggestion—that we should take these Bills after 10.30 is not adopted, the result, of course, will be that the House will have to sit longer, and it is really in the general interest of the House itself that I have made the suggestion.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI am sure the right hon. Gentleman will realise that, however anxious we may be for holidays, we are also anxious that the Trade Unions Bill should be properly discussed. I should like to know what the right hon. Gentleman's idea is as to the time we shall have for the recess after the end of this Session?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIf the suggestion I have made be adopted, I should hope that we shall get a recess not later than the 19th February, or perhaps the 20th—I will not pledge myself—until 13th March. Of course, if the suggestion be not accepted, the length of the Session will be prolonged.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI am sure we all wish to get as much information as possible. How much Supply does the right hon. Gentleman propose to take, and is it his intention that the Session should not begin until 13th March?
§ The PRIME MINISTERPurely necessary Supplementary Estimates.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWHow many days?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI cannot say how many days at this moment. I hope it will be a very short time.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEWill the Supplementary Estimates not require a Consolidated Fund Bill during the present Session?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am afraid not.
Mr. BALFOURI do not know whether this is the time to raise a point as to what the Prime Minister has said. The questions which have been asked the right Gentleman suggest matters of the greatest importance and magnitude. I understand that his proposal is that the new Session should begin on the 13th of March. Good Friday is on the 21st March. Therefore, the King's Speech will last the whole time before Good Friday. It has always lasted a week, and unless there are specially few subjects to discuss in connection with the action of the Government, I presume it will last a week on this occasion, and any Supplementary Estimates not passed in the course of the present Session will have to be got. It is incredible in conformity with constitutional usage that all this should be done.
§ The PRIME MINISTERThere are no such Supplementary Estimates.
Mr. BALFOURAll the great questions of policy will have to be discussed, and Vote A and Vote I will have to be got, and also the Income Tax Bill.
The PRIME MINISTERSI do not know whether that is a question; but assuming that it is a question, if the right hon. Gentleman refers to what happened in 1895, and in a later Session in which he himself was responsible for the business of the House, he will see that the same problems were substantially solved in this way.
§ Mr. WILLIAM O'BRIENWill the Supplementary Estimates include the £50,000 allocated for the Insurance Act in Ireland?
§ The PRIME MINISTERPerhaps the hon. Member will give me notice of that.
§ Mr. CASSELWill it include the money for medical benefit under the Insurance Act?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe hon. Member must give me notice of that.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEDo I understand that all the Supplementary Estimates for this financial year will be taken together 'with the necessary Consolidated Fund Bill in this Session and not in the next?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, they must be.