BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 19 April 1910)

§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE
My Lords, I do not know whether the noble Earl who leads the House is now in a position to supplement the statement which he made last week in reply to a Question by my noble friend Lord Salisbury, but I think your Lordships will be glad of any information regarding the adjournment for the Spring Recess and the course of business before and after that recess. We have in front of us 668 the Budget, which I understand will pass through the House of Commons on the 27th, the Resolutions of Lord Rosebery, and also the Resolutions of the Government dealing with the relations between the two Houses. With regard to the Budget, all I will venture to say is this, that I imagine it will be the general desire of the House that it should be taken here without a moment's loss of time, when the House of Commons has done with it. Lord Rosebery is not in his place, and I am unable to say what his intentions are in regard to his Resolutions. The noble Earl gave notice of a second batch on the 13th, and I have no doubt the House would desire ample opportunities of considering and discussing them. There remain the Resolutions dealing with the relations between the two Houses, Resolutions which the noble Earl who leads the House described, and not incorrectly, as of supreme importance. We should like to know, if the noble Earl is able to tell us, when he proposes to take those Resolutions. Perhaps I might also ask whether the Bill founded upon these Resolutions is likely to be produced before long. The Bill has, I understand, been read a first time in the other House, and is no doubt in a forward state of preparation. The noble Earl told us the other day that there would be no undue delay in the production of the Bill, but he was then unable to name the precise date when it would be produced. We should certainly be grateful for any information on that point; and, finally, we should be glad to know what the intentions are with regard to the adjournment of the House for the Spring Recess.

§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (THE EARL OF CREWE)
My Lords, I am obliged to the noble Marquess for having given me notice of his intention to put these further Questions. Since replying to Lord Salisbury a week ago I have had the opportunity of making some inquiries as to the general sense of the House with regard to the course of business. As regards the Resolutions dealing with the relations between the two Houses, we were quite prepared to deal with them at once, if that course had commended itself to the House, and I should have been prepared to put them down for discussion next week. But I am given to understand that that course would not be acceptable to the House in view of the position of 669 public business generally, and other questions to which the noble Marquess alluded. The Finance Bill now under discussion in another place is due to be finished in that House on April 27, and we should be prepared to put the Second Reading down for discussion in this House on the 28th, in view of the noble Marquess's expression of opinion that it should be proceeded with at once. Then as regards the recess, it is suggested that the House of Commons should rise for not less than three weeks at that time, and if, as I understand, it is the view of your Lordships' House that we deserve a similar holiday, we should be prepared, after disposing of the Budget, to adjourn for a similar recess. This would involve the postponement of the consideration of the Government Resolutions till immediately after that recess. That is the course which we are prepared to adopt in view of what I understand to be the opinion of noble Lords generally. It, I think, would mean—perhaps the noble Marquess will not bind me absolutely to dates—that the discussion on the Resolutions would be opened in the week of May 23, which, I gather, is the date at which the recess would close. As regards the Bill, I am not able to give the actual date at which it will be produced, but I am able to say that, in view of the discussion of our Resolutions, the Bill will Certainly be public property before the Resolutions come up for discussion in this House. As regards the Resolutions of my noble friend, I am not in possession of his 670 intentions with regard to their discussion, but I think I may assume that it is the desire of your Lordships' House to discuss them within a reasonable time. Perhaps I am right in saying that it would be the desire of the House if possible, in view of the fact that there is not much business on the Paper, to proceed with that discussion before we adjourn for the Spring Recess, but I have no knowledge of what my noble friend's intentions are, and therefore I do not know that I need say anything more on that point.

§ THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY
I would like to ask on which day it is proposed that the House of Commons should rise. There is no doubt that the Budget will be passed, but I would point out that a great number of noble Lords may wish to take part in the debate, and that the debate may conceivably go over one day.

THE EARL OF CREWE: We shall be in the hands of the House in that matter. The adjournment for the recess is to be moved in another place, I understand, on the 28th, but if it should be desired to discuss the Budget further here, the Royal Assent would have to be postponed. It would simply mean that we would have to sit a day or two days longer.