HL Deb 16 May 1884 vol 288 cc529-30
LORD BALFOUR

said, he desired to call the attention of the House to a matter which he mentioned to their Lordships some days ago, with regard to the delay in the delivery of Papers. It was a very serious grievance. That morning he saw that an important Report of the Royal Commission on Technical Education had been delivered to the newspapers before being distributed to their Lordships. He noticed that The Times had received a copy, and that there was a leading article upon it. He would not have complained of that; but having made inquiry at the Paper Office of the House, he found that copies of the same Report had been distributed to the Members of the other House, and yet, when he asked for a copy, he was told there was not one to be had. He thought that the two Houses should be placed on an equality in this respect.

EARL GEANVILLE

said, he regretted that he could give no information upon the matter at present other than that he had already given.

LORD BALFOUR

gave Notice that he would, on an early day, call attention to this matter, and move that inquiry be made into the practice by the Committee recently appointed upon the office of the Usher of the Black Rod.