§ EARL GRANVILLEMy Lords, I take the liberty of asking the noble Marquess whether he can give us any information with regard to the course which is to be adopted in dealing with the business which is likely to come before us.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The Marquess of SALISBURY)I imagine that the course of business in your Lordships' House will depend very much, as in former years, on the action of the other House of Parliament. There are two important Bills now before the other House which are, I think, likely to be here before long. They are the Bill dealing with the tithes—which has been a good deal altered since it was before your Lordships last—and a Bill affecting Scotch Private Business. I have not looked at the Notice Paper, and I do not know what the Notices are; but there is one subject to which I shall have to call the early attention of your Lordships, and that is the question of Standing Committees. I think it is admitted that these Committees have done great good. They have insured the examination not only of the wording and the machinery of Bills, but also of details in which principles 786 are very often involved, and which might be otherwise overlooked. But there has been some question as to the precise arrangement of these Committees in regard to the examination of details which it is desirable should be investigated, and for that purpose I propose to move for a Select Committee of the House to examine into the Standing Orders, and to recommend any changes that may seem desirable. With respect to the further business of the House, I would rather wait to see what other measures are proposed before I reply more particularly to the noble Earl.