§ 49. Lord R. CECILasked the Prime Minister whether the Lord Lieutenant or the Chief Secretry is in control of Irish administration when they are both in 1702 Dublin; and from whom General Sir N. Macready takes his orders?
§ Mr. SHORTTBoth the Lord-Lieutenant and the Chief Secretary are members of the" Cabinet and they are jointly responsible for the Irish Administration under which General Macready is serving.
§ Lord R. CECILWhat I was anxious to know was whether there was one head in Ireland or two. If there are two it might possibly account for the state of things that exists?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe position, practically, is as it has been for many years.
§ Mr. HOGGEIs it the case that both the Lord-Lieutenant and the Chief Secretary are now permanent Members of. the Cabinet, or does the old arrangement obtain, providing that when one was in London he attended the Cabinet and the other did not?
§ Mr. SHORTTOn the very rare occasions when they are both in England they are both present.
§ Lord R. CECILWhen the right hon. Gentleman says that this arrangement existed in Ireland before, can he refer me to any case in which in recent times the Lord-Lieutenant and the Chief Secretary have been both Members of the Cabinet?
§ Mr. SHORTTI think in the time of Lord Spencer.
§ Lord R. CECILNo, no!
§ Sir J. BUTCHERWith regard to the administration of Ireland, will the Government consider the question of putting the Lord-Lieutenancy in Commission and making the Chief Secretary responsible for Ireland to this House?
§ Mr. E. WOODIf these two gentlemen have a difference of opinion, on whose advice will the Cabinet act?