HC Deb 27 April 1917 vol 92 c2745
Mr. HOGGE

May I ask the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury a question in regard to the business next week? The Government have put down for Tuesday the Office of Works Estimates, without, as I understand, any inquiry or consultation with Members of the House in the usual way. Is it to be the practice in future that the Government are to fix the Estimates for their own convenience, and not for the convenience of Members of the House?

The JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Lord Edmund Talbot)

It was the intention of the Government to put down another set of Estimates, as had been arranged at the request of the hon. Member for West Belfast, but that request was withdrawn, and we had at once to decide on the Estimates to be substituted. I quite admit the justice of the hon. Member's question, and I may add that the Government had no idea of departing from the usual practice.

Mr. KING

May I ask whether, in view of this arrangement, it is intended, should the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill not be finished on Monday, to carry it over into Tuesday?

Lord E. TALBOT

I am not in a position to say.

Mr. PRINGLE

Can the Noble Lord inform us how many Orders are to be taken to-day?

Lord E. TALBOT

All that can be done.