§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That the Third Heading of the Finance Bill may be taken immediately after the Consideration of the Bill, as amended, notwithstanding the practice of the House as to the interval between the various stages of a Bill relating to finance."—[Mr. Bonar Law.]
§ Sir D. MACLEANThis Motion has been put on the Paper by agreement between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and those who sit on the Front Opposition Bench. I should not like it to pass without saying, first of all, that the right hon. Gentleman will agree with me that while the Opposition has been vigorous in its criticism, we have not in any way been obstructive. He will also agree that this is an unusual Motion. It often happens with other Bills, but on a Finance Bill it is very unusual. I wish to place it on record that we have agreed to it now because of the altogether exceptional circumstances in which the House finds itself in regard to business. The vacation is rapidly approaching and an immense amount of very important business has to be put through, and it is only because of that that we have assented to the Motion.
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI rise to respond to the appeal of the right hon. Gentleman and to say I agree with him that the procedure which we are following to-day, though not unknown, is exceptional and should be abnormal and only resorted to in special circumstances. The Government suggested it in the belief that it would really meet the general convenience and wishes of the House and not with any desire, I need scarcely say, to deprive the House of legitimate opportunities of discussion which it might wish to exercise. At the same time I desire to record my personal obligation to the right hon. Gentleman for the friendly spirit in which he met the proposal and also to the right hon. Gentleman. (Mr. Adamson). The discussions on the Budget have been conducted in a very reasonable way. The right hon. Gentleman's claim that there has been no obstruction is amply justified.
§ Mr. SIDNEY ROBINSONI do not think this matter can be dismissed in the few words of explanation that we have had. I do not want to stand in the way
§ of the business of the House being carried on, but this is really a most important matter and one that has become of late years even more important than in the past. There is a tradition that the Finance Bill, of all others, should never be carried through two stages in the course of the same sitting. We were obliged to suspend that rule for the period of the War, and no doubt it was right and necessary that it should be done, but tome of us are crying out for a return to the same methods of finance, and we think that, side by side with the same methods of finance, should come the same methods of conducting the business of the House as regards finance. This Bill has to be discussed and decided in this House alone. We are the trustees for the finances of the country. We are going to make several alterations in it— the Chancellor of the Exchequer has some ten alterations to make—and we are to pass the Third Reading on the same day There were protests, the other evening, as regards our action in passing so important a measure as the Peace Treaty between three and four o'clock on Tuesday morning. There was a great deal of substance in that protest, and so there will be again if we go on and pass this Bill in this hurried way. Only last night there was quite a departure from precedent in the way the Housing Bill was carried through. I know it was just within the four corners of the Rules or Mr. Speaker would not have allowed it, but it was certainly a departure from precedent in allowing control of matters in the House to slip out of his hands. This is the most important Bill the House has ever passed, and yet we are going to rush it through. It is altogether inadequate in its method of raising taxation, and it should receive a great deal more criticism than at has had. I very strongly protest against it, and I only wish hon. Members would feel so strongly that they would divide against it and insist on having an interval before the Third Reading.
§
Question put,
That the Third Heading of the Finance Bill may be taken immediately after the Consideration of the Bill, as amended, notwithstanding the practice of the House as to the interval between the various stages of a Bill relating to Finance.
§ The House divided: Ayes, 288; Noes, 5.
1415| Division No. 77.] | AYES. | [4.0 p.m. |
| Acland, Rt. Hon. Francis Dyke | Allen, Col. William James | Atkey, A. R. |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. William | Amery, Lieut-Colonel L. C. M. S. | Bagley, Captain E. A. |
| Agg-Gardner, Sir James Tynte | Archdale, Edward M | Baird, John Lawrence |
| Ainsworth, Captain C. | Astbury, Lieut.-Com. F. W. | Baldwin, Stanley |
| Barnes, Rt. Hon. G. N. (Gorbals) | Gilmour, Lieut.-Colonel John | Mitchell, William Lane |
| Barnston, Major Harry | Glanville, Harold James | Moles, Thomas |
| Beauchamp, Sir Edward | Glyn, Major R. | Mond, Rt. Hon. Sir Alfred Moritz |
| Beckett, Hon. Gervase | Graham, D. M. (Hamilton) | Moreing, Captain Algernon H. |
| Bellairs, Com. Carlyon W. | Grant, James Augustus | Morison, T. B. (Inverness) |
| Benn, Sir Arthur S. (Plymouth) | Greame, Major P. Lloyd | Morrison, H. (Salisbury) |
| Benn, Capt. W. (Leith) | Green, J. F. (Leicester) | Mount, William Arthur |
| Bennett, T. J. | Greene, Lt.-Col. W. (Hackney, N.) | Murray, Lt.-Col. Hon. A. C. (Aberdeen) |
| Bentinck, Lt.-Col. Lord H. Cavendish. | Greenwood, Col. Sir Hamar | Murray, Major C. D. (Edinburgh, S.) |
| Betterton, H. B. | Greig, Colonel James William | Murray, Dr. D. (Western Isles) |
| Bigland, Alfred | Griffiths, T. (Pontypool) | Murray, Hon. G. (St. Rollox) |
| Bird, Alfred | Gritten, W. G. Howard | Nelson, R. F. W. R. |
| Blair, Major Reginald | Grundy, T. W. | Newman, Major J. (Finchley, M'ddx.) |
| Blake, Sir Francis Douglas | Guest, J. (Hemsworth, York) | Nicholl, Com. Sir Edward |
| Borwick, Major G. O. | Guinness, Lt.-Col. Hon. W. E. (B. St E.) | Nicholson, R. (Doncaster) |
| Boscawen, Sir Arthur Griffith- | Gwynne, R. S. | Nicholson, w. (Petersfield) |
| Bowerman, Right Hon. C. W. | Hacking, Captain D. H. | O'Grady, James |
| Bowles, Col. H. F. | Hallwood, A. | Ormsby-Gore, Hon. William |
| Bowyer, Captain G. W. E. | Hallas, E. | Palmer, Brig.-Gen. G. (Westbury) |
| Boyd-Carpenter, Major A. | Hambro, Angus Valdemar | Parker, James |
| Brace, Rt. Hon. William | Harmsworth, Cecil B. (Luton, Beds.) | Parry, Major Thomas Henry |
| Brassey, H. L. C. | Harris, Sir H. P. (Paddington, S.) | Pease, Rt. Hon. Herbert Pike |
| Breese, Major C. E. | Hayward, Major Evan | Perkins, Walter Frank |
| Briant, F. | Henderson, Major V. L. | Pinkham, Lieut.-Col. Charles |
| Brittain, Sir Harry E. | Henry, Denis S. (Londonderry, S.) | Pownall, Lieut.-Colonel Assheton |
| Brown, Captain D. C. (Hexham) | Herbert, Denniss (Hertford) | Pratt, John William |
| Brown, J. (Ayr and Bute) | Higham, C. F. (Islington, S.) | Pretyman, Rt. Hon. Ernest G. |
| Bruton, Sir J. | Hilder, Lieut.-Colonel F. | Purchase, H. G. |
| Buchanan, Lieut.-Colonel A. L. H. | Hills, Major J. W. (Durham) | Raeburn, Sir William |
| Buckley, Lt.-Col. A. | Hinds, John | Randles, Sir John Scurrah |
| Bull, Right Hon. Sir William James | Hirst, G. H. | Raper, A. Baldwin |
| Burgoyne, Lt.-Col. Alan Hughes | Hoare, Lt.-Col. Sir Samuel J. G. | Ratcliffe, Henry Butler |
| Burn, Colonel C. R. (Torquay) | Hodge, Rt. Hon. John | Remer, J. B. |
| Burn, T. H. (Belfast) | Hogge, J. M. | Remnant, Col. Sir J. Farquharson |
| Butcher, Sir J. G. | Hohler, Gerald Fitzroy | Rendall, Athelstan |
| Campbell, J. G. D. | Hope, James Fitzalan (Sheffield) | Renwick, G. |
| Carew, Charles R. S. (Tiverton) | Hope, Lt.-Col. Sir J. (Midlothian) | Richardson, R. (Houghton) |
| Carr, W. T. | Hopkins, J. W. W. | Roberts, F. O. (W. Bromwich) |
| Casey, T. W. | Hopkinson, Austin (Mossley) | Roberts, Rt. Hon. George H. (Norwich) |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. J. A. (Birm., W.) | Horne, Sir Robert (Hillhead) | Roberts, Sir S. (Sheffield, Ecclesall) |
| Cheyne, Sir William Watson | Houston, Robert Paterson | Robinson, T. (Stretford, Lancs.) |
| Child, Brig-General Sir Hill | Howard, Major S. G. | Rodger, A. K. |
| Clay, Captain H. H. Spender | Hughes, Spencer Leigh | Rose, Frank H. |
| Clough, R. | Hurd, P. A. | Roundell, Lieut.-Colonel R. F. |
| Colvin, Brigadier-General R. B. | Inskip, T. W. H. | Rowlands, James |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Jackson, Lieut.-Col. Hon. F. S. (York) | Royce, William Stapleton |
| Coote, William (Tyrone, S.) | Jodrell, N. P. | Samuel, Rt. Hon. Sir H. (Norwood) |
| Cory, Sir James Herbert (Cardiff | Jones, Sir Evan (Pembroke) | Seager, Sir William |
| Cowan, D. M. (Scottish University) | Jones, J. Towyn (Carmarthen) | Seely, Maj.-Gen. Rt. Hon. John |
| Craik, Right Hon. Sir Henry | Kellaway, Frederick George | Shaw, Hon. A. (Kilmarnock) |
| Croft, Brig.-General Henry Page | Kelly, Major Fred (Rotherham) | Short, A. (Wednesbury) |
| Crooks, Rt Hon. William | Kenworthy, Lieut-Commander | Shortt, Rt. Hon. E. (N'castle-on-T., W.) |
| Curzon, Commander Viscount | Kenyon, Barnet | Simm, Colonel M. T. |
| Davidson, Major-Gen. Sir John H. | Kidd, James | Sitch, C. H. |
| Davies, Alfred Thomas (Lincoln) | Kinloch-Cooke, Sir Clement | Smith, Capt. A. (Nelson and Colne) |
| Davies, Sir D. S. (Denbigh) | Knight, Capt. E. A. | Sprot, Colonel Sir Alexander |
| Davies, T. (Cirencester) | Lambert, Rt. Hon. George | Stanier, Captain Sir Beville |
| Davison, J. E. (Smethwick) | Lane-Fox, Major G. R. | Stanley, Colonel Hon. G. F. (Preston) |
| Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington) | Law, A. J. (Rochdale) | Stanton, Charles Butt |
| Dewhurst, Lieut.-Com. H. | Law, Right Hon. A. Bonar (Glasgow) | Stephenson, Colonel H. K. |
| Dockrell, sir M. | Lewis, Rt. Hon. J. H. (Univ. Wales) | Sturrock, J. Leng- |
| Donald, T. | Lewis, T. A. (Pontypridd, Glam.) | Surtees, Brig.-General H. C. |
| Doyle, N. Grattan | Lister, Sir R. Ashton | Sutherland, Sir William |
| Duncannon, Viscount | Lloyd, George Butler | Swan, J. E. C. |
| Du Pre, Colonel W. B. | Locker-Lampson, Com. D. (Hunt'don) | Sykes, Col. Sir A. J. (Knutsford) |
| Edge, Captain William | Long, Rt. Hon. Walter | Talbot, G. A. (Hemel Hempstead) |
| Edwards, Major J. (Aberavon) | Lonsdale, James R. | Taylor, J. (Dumbarton) |
| Edwards, J. H. (Glam., Neath) | Lorden, John William | Thomas, Brig.-Gen. Sir O. (Anglesey) |
| Eatwistle, Major C. F. | Loseby, Captain C. E. | Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, S.) |
| Falle, Major Sir Bertram Godfray | Lowe, Sir F. W. | Thomson, T. (Middlesbrough, W.) |
| Farquharson, Major A. C. | Lowther, Col. Claude (Lancs., Lons.) | Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton, E.) |
| Fell, Sir Arthur | M'Donald, Dr. B. F. P. (Wallasey) | Tickler, Thomas George |
| FitzRoy, Capt. Hon. Edward A. | M'Guffin, Samuel | Townley, Maximilan G. |
| Flannery, Sir J. Fortescue | M'Laren, R. (Lanark, N.) | Waddington, R. |
| Forestier-Walker, L. | Maclean, Neil (Glasgow, Govan) | Walsh, S. (Ince, Lancs.) |
| Fraser, Major Sir Keith | Maclean, Rt. Hon. Sir D. (Midlothian) | Walton, J. (York, Don Valley) |
| Galbraith, Samuel | McMicking, Major Gilbert | Ward, Colonel L. (Kingston-upon-Hull) |
| Gange, E. S. | Macnamara, Rt. Hon. Dr. T. J. | Wardle, George J. |
| Ganzoni, Captain F. C. | Mallaby-Deeley, Harry | Waring, Major Walter |
| Gardiner, J. (Perth) | Malone, Col. C. L. (Leyton, E.) | Warner, Sir T. Courtenay T. |
| Gardner, E. (Berks, Windsor) | Malone, Major P. (Tottenham, S.) | Warren, Sir Alfred H. |
| Geddes, Rt. Hon. Sir A. C. (Basingstoke) | Manville, Edward | Waterson, A. E. |
| Gibbs, Colonel George Abraham | Meysey-Thompson, Lt.-Col. E. C. | Watson, Captain John Bertrand |
| Gilbert, James Daniel | Middlebrook, Sir William | Wedgwood, Colonel Josiah C. |
| Weigall, Lt-Col, W. E. G. A. | Williams, Col. Sir R. (Dorset, W.) | Yate, Colonel Charles Edward |
| Wheter, Colonel Granville C. H. | Wilson, Rt. Hon. J. W. (Stourbridge) | Yeo, Sir Alfred William |
| Whitla, Sir William | Wilson, Colonel Leslie (Reading) | Young, Robert (Newton, Lanes.) |
| Wigan, Brigadier-General John Tyson | Wilson, Col. M. (Richmond, Yorks.) | Young, William (Perth and Kinross) |
| Willey, Lt.-Col. F. V. | Wilson, W. T. (Westhoughton) | |
| Williams, A. (Conset, Durham) | Wood, Major Hon. E. (Ripon) | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—Capt. |
| Williams, Lieut.-Com. C. (Tavistock) | Wood, Sir H. K. (Woolwich, W.) | Guest and Colonel Sanders. |
| Williams, Col. P. (Middlesbrough) | Wood, Major Mackenzie (Aberdeen, C.) | |
| Williams, Lt.-Col, Sir R. (Banbury) | Woolcock, W. J. U. | |
| NOES. | ||
| Gretton, Col. John | Marriott, John Arthur R. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—Mr, |
| Johnstone, J. | Wilson, Capt. A. Stanley (Hold'ness) | S. Robinson and Mr. Neal. |
| Macdonald, Rt. Hon. J. M. (Stirling) |
Question put, and agreed to.