BRITISH MUSEUM KILL. (Hansard, 10 May 1900)

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (The EARL OF HALSBURY)

My Lords, I do not wish to object to the Third Reading, but I think that there are points with regard to the Bill which will deserve consideration in another place. I can testify to the difficulty, growing year by year, which the Trustees of the British Museum have in dealing with such things as railway guides and other matter which nobody can possibly suggest will be of any historical value, and which it is desirable to get rid of. At the same time, if the Bill is passed in its present shape serious questions may arise as to what is of historical importance, and I am under the impression that the Bill does not sufficiently provide for giving Parliament the opportunity of determining what shall be destroyed and what shall be kept. A difficulty has occurred to me with regard to the form of the schedule, and I confess I regret that those who are responsible for it have observed the practice, most mischievous in our legislation, of legislating by reference and not making the schedule applicable to the matter in hand. While I have no desire to hamper the progress of the Bill, I do not think it is sufficiently provided that Parliament should have the power of selecting what documents should be destroyed and what should not. Of course, what is proposed is that the schedule of the documents to be disposed of shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament, but there is no power of selection given to Parliament. I have suggested to the right rev. Prelate who has moved the Third Reading on behalf of the noble Viscount (Viscount Peel) that those who have charge of the Bill in another place should have their attention directed to that part of the machinery, so that the necessary precautions may be taken to give Parliament the power of disapproving of the destruction of one or more classes of documents and of allowing the order to proceed with regard to the rest. The right rev. Prelate has promised that that shall be done, and, therefore, I shall not oppose the Third Heading of the Bill.