HC Deb 23 July 1923 vol 167 cc9-10
18. Sir C. YATE

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he can give a statement showing how many times the Government of India have been defeated in the legislative assembly in each year since the Government of India Act came into force?

Earl WINTERTON

I fear that the information required by my hon. and gallant Friend could be produced only by an inordinate expenditure of time and labour, and, even so, would be misleading unless accompanied by a detailed explanation. But I may, perhaps, remind him that the Government of India are in a permanent minority in the Assembly.

Sir C. YATE

Considering that the total electorate for the Indian Legislative Assembly is only 250,000 out of a population of 250,000,000, and that not 100,000 of them exercise their vote—

Mr. SPEAKER

That sounds like a speech.