§ Lord R. CECILMay I ask the Leader of the House whether he is aware that it is understood that to-morrow is to be devoted to discussion of the telephone system, and Monday to a discussion on Ireland, and would he say whether it is true that the Government intend to move the Closure on Monday evening, and whether in that event there will be no opportunity for discussing the general principles of national expenditure and economy before the introduction of the Budget; and whether, in view of the very great interest in the country on these subjects, he will make arrangements to secure such a discussion by allowing the Debate on the Address to continue for another day?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWIt is the fact that the Government intend, owing to the state of public business, to bring the Debate on the Address to a close on Monday. My Noble Friend is mistaken in saying that there will be no opportunity before the Budget for the discussion he mentioned. I can assure him and the House that the Government rather like 275 such discussions. In the first place there is the Vote on Account, when the whole subject of finance can be discussed. At all events, it always has been in the past. It can also be discussed on the Consolidated Fund Bill, and, in addition, after the end of the financial year, if there is a desire on the part of the House for a day to be given to financial discussion, I shall certainly arrange it before the Budget is introduced.
§ Sir D. MACLEANDoes the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the rule of the House that on the Consolidated Fund Bill the discussion is always confined to what is in the Bill, and that unless we have very special indulgence from the Chair it will not afford the opportunity asked for, which is desired by the Whole House?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI bear in mind not only the rule but the experience of previous discussions. I have always found both on the Vote on Account and on the Consolidated Fund Bill that everything in connection with finance which interests the House has been discussed; but in addition to that I have given a promise that if the House desires it—and I hope it will—we shall give a date for a general discussion before the introduction of the Budget.
§ 4.0 P.M.
§ Lord R. CECILIt is well, Mr. Speaker, that the House should know exactly where it stands, and whether it is a fact that on the Vote of Account and the Second Reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill it will be possible to raise any question affecting the general method by which the expenditure of this country is controlled, or the general method by which economies may be secured, or whether our discussion is not confined to the actual Votes which are included in the question put from the Chair and cannot deal with the general policy of expenditure.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe Consolidated Fund Bill, which will have to be taken before the close of the financial year, will include the Votes on Account for all the Civil Services, and the Votes on Account for the Army, the Navy, and the Air Forces. That seems to me to include all public expenditure, and in discussing all public expenditure there must be an opportunity of expressing views in favour of economy.
§ Lord R. CECILIf that be so, that settles it, and we can discuss the matter. I did not want us afterwards to find ourselves in a difficulty, and I wanted to be quite sure that I had made my question plain that we could discuss, not this or that economy which might be made in a particular Vote, but the general principles on which the expenditure of the country should be controlled.
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt is very hard to rule beforehand, and until I hear the actual proposition I cannot say whether it will be in order or not. It is obvious that the general topic of expenditure and economy must be in order where the House is asked to vote some hundreds of millions towards the upkeep of the Services of the country.
§ Lord R. CECILMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman, in view of the evident and extreme doubt as to whether the subject can be discussed properly or not on the Consolidated Fund Bill, whether he will not reconsider his decision?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI do not agree with my Noble Friend. There is now much less doubt than I thought there was.