LORD DENMAN, in rising to ask the Lord Chancellor if the Bills for ascertaining and limiting the duration of speeches in Parliament and for women's suffrage may not be inserted in the list of Bills in Progress, and re-appointed for an earlier day than the 2nd of September, already appointed for their Second Reading, said: The noble Lord referred to what had passed in 1887 and 1888—as to lunar months and the continuance of a Bill if Parliament were sitting, until a Motion for rejection was made. The Bill for Women's Suffrage has never been debated, though favourable opinions have been given on it.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORThe noble Lord has asked me a question. I can only say that there is a Standing Order of the House which at present prevents this Bill coming on until the 2nd September. I presume that Order, like any other Order of the House, is capable of being rescinded by a Resolution of the House; but until that Order is rescinded it must be our guide. With reference to putting the Bills upon the Paper in the list of Bills in Progress, that depends upon no Order of the House at all, but upon practice. As a matter of convenience of Members of the House, Bills which are in progress are printed for the purpose of information. Whether it would add to the information of noble Lords to tell them that there is a Bill in progress for the 2nd September, I leave to the judgment of the House.