§ Sir CHARLES HOBHOUSEIs it intended to take Orders 6 and 7 on the Paper tonight (Grand Juries [Suspension] Bill and Ministry of Food [Parliamentary Secretaries] Bill)?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWWe may take No. 6, but not No. 7.
§ Mr. R. MCNEILLShall I be in order now in putting a question to the Under-Secretary for War? I put a question to him, and he replied that he intended to make a statement on the subject tomorrow. I should like to ask him whether he will make that statement in a form which will admit of discussion, because if he is not prepared to do so I will take the opportunity of saying something in the Debate to-day. Otherwise I shall have no opportunity. If, on the other hand, he makes his statement in a form which will admit of discussion, I need not trouble the House to-day.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe opportunity will be the same to-morrow as to-day. It covers the same ground as the Report of the Vote of Credit.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI beg to move, "That Government Business, if under discussion at Eleven o'clock this night, be not interrupted under the Standing Order (Sittings of the House), and may be entered upon at any hour though opposed."
§ Mr. LOUGHMight I ask what business the right hon. Gentleman intends to take under the Motion, and if, after the experience of yesterday, it is necessary to make this Motion?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe Motion to-day is even a more formal one that it was yesterday. It is simply in order that the First Beading of the Consolidated Fund Bill may be got to-night.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI do not say, if it should happen—I do not expect it—this is done at an early hour, that we may not 658 take some other business, but no other business will be taken after eleven o'clock.
§ Mr. PRINGLEAre we to understand, if the Report stage of the Vote of Credit is concluded fairly early in the evening, the right hon. Gentleman then intends to ask the House to take either No. 3 (Supply —(Civil Services Supplementary Estimates) or No. 4 (Supply—Committee? I think it is important we should know. This is the second occasion upon which the House in the first week of the Session has been invited to suspend the Eleven o'Clock Rule. I do not think this has ever been done before, and I do not see why it should be done now. If you wish to suspend the Eleven o'Clock Rule, why not suspend it for the whole Session? That is a reasonable proposition, but to take it casually in this way means that it is merely intended to relieve the Government Whips, who are now more numerous than at any other period in history, of he necessity of keeping 100 Members in he House to secure the Closure. I do lot think the House should connive at this method of relieving these hon. Gentleman from attending to their duties.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWMy hon. Friend misunderstands both the intentions of the Government and the feeling of the House of Commons.
§ Mr. PRINGLEThey want to go away.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThat is a result which can be easily obtained. The object of the Government is not to prevent the necessity of keeping 100 Members here in order to impose the Closure, but I sincerely trust that no such necessity is ever likely to arise. It is simply done for the general convenience of the House itself.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLDid I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that he would not take No. 6 (Grand Juries— Suspension—Bill, Second Reading)? Will he take it after eleven o'clock?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI distinctly said that I would not.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Ordered, That Government Business, if under discussion at Eleven o'clock this night, be not interrupted under the Standing Order (Sittings of the House), and may be entered upon at any hour though opposed.