§ 57. Colonel YATEasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the proposal that the Bill to make further provision, with respect to the Government of India should after it had been introduced, according to the promise made last Session, be referred to a Joint Committee of both Houses that would hear evidence, discuss the alternative, and upon whose-recommendations the House would ultimately form judgment, he will now postpone the Second Reading of the Bill, fixed for Thursday, 5th June, till after that Joint Committee has reported?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWNo, Sir; the Government is pledged to recommend to Parliament that the Bill should be referred to-a Joint Committee after Second Reading. This pledge was made in the House of Lords as long ago as the 23rd October last year, and has often been repeated in. 1677 this House. This procedure is well known in Parliamentary practice, but I know of no precedent of referring a Bill to a Joint Committee before its Second Reading.
§ Colonel YATEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the majority of the provincial Governments of India have refused diarchy and have submitted an alternative scheme; and if this Joint Committee approve the decision of the provincial Governments can the Government of India Bill be altered after the Second Beading?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI have no doubt whatever that subject will be discussed by the Joint Committee, but I think it is premature to anticipate what their decision will be.
§ Colonel YATEThis is a most important question. Can this Bill be altered after the Second Reading if the Joint Committee reports against diarchy?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWAny Bill can, of course, be altered until its final stages.
§ Brigadier-General CROFTIn view of the importance to the whole of the British Empire of this matter can the right hon. Gentleman see his way not to discuss the Second Reading until the House meets again?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWOh, no. I do not think that would be possible or right. The date of the Second Reading has been fixed.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODCan there not be a reasoned Amendment?
§ Colonel YATECan the right hon. Gentleman give us a pledge that the opinions of the provincial Governments in India will in no way be prejudiced by the Second Reading?
§ Captain ORMSBY-GOREIs not the idea of setting up a Joint Select Committee in order that representatives of the provincial Governments may be heard as witnesses before the Select Committee?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWObviously the object of this mode of procedure is to enable the facts to be examined more thoroughly than by any other method that has been suggested.