§ THE EARL OF SELBORNE had the following Notice on the Paper—
§ To call attention to the alleged sale of honours; and to ask the Lord President whether, in view of the public uneasiness as to the manner in which recommendations for honours have in the past been made to the Crown and of the widespread belief that such honours have sometimes been granted in return for payments of large sums of money, His Majesty's Government are prepared to agree that the following provisions should have effect—
- 1. That when any honour or dignity is conferred upon a British subject, other than a member of the Royal Family or the members of the Naval, Military, or permanent Civil Service under the Crown, a definite public statement of the reasons for which it has been recommended to the Crown shall accompany the notification of the grant.
- 2. That a declaration to the Sovereign be made by the Prime Minister, in recommending any person to His Majesty's favour for any such honour or dignity, that he has satisfied him self that no payment or expectation of payment is directly or indirectly associated with the grant or promise of such honour or dignity.
§ The noble Earl said: My Lords, I have received private intimation from the noble Earl the Leader of the House that, for a wholly unavoidable reason for which he is not responsible, he cannot be in his place to-day, and therefore it is, of course, necessary for me to adjourn my Question. I pro pose to bring it on at the earliest possible moment.